Darkness & Light
by Zyraen
Summary: After TV series, how the gang goes, with Kiyone as the reluctant head this time ^_^
1. No Need for Enigmas

EDIT Note (08/2002)  
After over a year I guess I am really going to settle back   
into this ficcing business and wrap up this fic for good.   
Kova is still constantly struggling out in the form of drawings  
and I think I owe it to the man to finish him off decently, at   
least.   
  
I also noted after I posted the rewrite reviews and  
everything fell, and asking around a friend told me the fight  
scene was too complex relative to language of the original c01,  
losing me some of the readers. So I went over it and simplified  
it a little, yeah, nothing really major ^^;; sorry...  
  
REWRITE Note : Well... this "rewrite" finally makes TMFFA wif   
this. Not much changes, juz a fight scene. All references to  
this extra scene will be limited to up to Chap 3 and the rest  
will likely be incidental.  
  
Disclaimer :  
Most characters in this story are property of AIC and Pioneer.  
They are in such a situation solely because of my imagination.  
This story was written purely for fun.  
  
Juz to let you know, this FF is based on the TV Series.  
The Kain episode, great though it was, was ignored... sorry,  
but I really needed the GP around (should be clear by Chap 13).  
  
This story contains no sex, so please do not expect it.  
  
Before I wrote this Fanfic, I have only read 2 Fanfics, Aikan  
Muyo and To Love & To Hate. Since then I have read some others,  
and have noted some writers have a tendency to portray some  
characters inaccurately.  
  
For instance, I believe Tenchi will not screw anyone he does  
not seriously love, while Ryoko and Aeka are not irretrievably  
unreconciliable. As I wrote suddenly I realised Mihoshi was not  
a 2 dimensional dumb blonde scourge of Kiyone.  
  
Some of the powers used in this Fic are a conglomeration of those  
in Tenchi TV & OAV, though I have excluded the Light Hawk Wings,  
and Washu's goddess status, simply because the imbalance would be  
too great.  
  
That's about it, I'm a simple soul at heart...  
  
  
DARKNESS & LIGHT - No Need For Kova  
  
By Zyraen  
  
Chapter I : No Need for Enigmas  
  
"How I wish I could be as carefree as you," sighed Kiyone, as  
her partner Mihoshi snuggled comfortably into her futon and  
into oblivion. The blonde detective gave a loud sigh of  
contentment and curled some more as if in confirmation of her  
words. Letting herself lie back, hands behind her lustrous, long  
green hair, Kiyone thought about all the things that had gone  
wrong in her life.  
  
"It's all because of Mihoshi!"  
  
She remembered herself saying that to someone, sometime. Yet  
it just did not seem to explain everything. Everything that had  
happened, she still remembered, as some kind of nightmare she  
had lived through and wished more than anything to end. Yet  
Mihoshi had been living that same life, and it had seemed  
wonderful to her. How they had met Tenchi, Ryoko, and all the  
rest. How they had helped wrest Kagato from his throne of  
power, and became high ranking Galaxy Police personnel back  
at Central HQ.  
  
Yet...  
  
"What am I doing here!?"  
  
Remembering the day Mihoshi had walked in and jubilantly  
announced, "Kiyone, I'm so *happy*! We've got reassigned back  
to Earth as resident officers again!"   
  
"WHAT!?"  
  
"Yup, isn't that *wonderful*!"  
  
"H..h..how...?" Kiyone had said as she sank weakly into her  
chair.  
  
"Oh, I just asked, as they said it was OK, if I could get you to  
agree and substantiate the request, which I'm sure you will! "  
She smiled as she held up her hand into an OK sign, then  
clasped her hands together again. "This is great! We'll be able to  
see Tenchi, Sasami, and all the rest of them again."  
  
"Sasami..." Oh yeah, Aeka had ran away for another vacation  
again, and Sasami had gone after her on the pretext of getting  
her back. Azaka and Kamadake, the knights, had remained to  
keep the Council of Jurai in their place and protect the palace  
(empty...) while their log versions had followed Sasami...  
  
"Oh no! I haven't bought anything for them, and they'll be so  
upset with me! Sasami said she'd be getting me a..." As Mihoshi  
rattled on, Kiyone had toyed with the thought of getting the  
transfer undone, but well, returning to Earth was hardly what  
she would call unpleasant, though it would put a damper on her  
future promotion prospects, not that she was doing badly...  
Besides, she did not want to break Mihoshi's heart.   
  
She had then managed to persuade her GP superior that  
keeping an eye on Aeka and the true king of Jurai was very  
important, in the face of growing hostilities between the Juraian  
empire and the Synera Stellar Syndicate (SSS), an empire that  
had risen out of a merchant syndicate that developed weapons  
and ships to colonise and subjugate planets, and at least be  
given credit for protecting the Juraian royalty. She even got the  
boss to strongly hint she *might* return to a promotion if  
nothing untoward happens until relations are smoothed over.  
  
And so here she was, scraping a living out on the primitive  
planet. At least now with the dimensional door that had been so  
useful in their adventures in Space, and which Washu had given  
to them as a farewell present, she and Mihoshi could pop over  
to Tenchi's place anytime for a quick (heavenly) bath, a  
welcomed (exquisite!) meal and a nice (and free) Karaoke  
session.  
  
"I wonder why do I even bother to stay in this apartment!? I  
practically live there in Tenchi's house!" Her thoughts brought  
her back. "Oh yeah, principle." Kinda stupid, though.  
  
Looking at the clock beside her, she sighed again. It was almost  
an hour since she had retired and she was still awake! Trying  
vainly to turn her mind blank and sleep, Kiyone shifted and tried  
a different position.  
  
====================================  
  
Meanwhile, high over the Earth's stratosphere, her solitary  
spacecraft orbited, in auto pilot. Scarlet metal gleamed bright in  
the sun's rays, while from far away, a tiny metallic speck  
emerged and sped over. It seemed to be some sort of a capsule,  
but there were rocket boosters behind it, and within something  
stirred. A portal of darkness opened within and...  
  
He was inside the Yagami. Grinning, the intruder smiled to  
himself.  
  
"Let's see how the GP is doing with my data."  
  
Moving over to the bridge, the person seated himself in the  
command seat, fingers flashing over the console. His eyes  
scanned the screen as he accessed the GP file archives.  
  
"Ah, I see I am still remembered," he murmured.  
  
Before him, on the screen, a very outdated picture of himself,  
followed some words. Nothing he did not know, but still, his  
attention was drawn to the last few lines.  
  
Last sighted : 40 yrs ago, in the vicinity of the Science Academy  
  
Ship destroyed, no body found.  
  
"I see their intelligence is neither precise nor up to date."  
  
Tapping a few more buttons, he quickly summoned a map of the  
ship.  
  
"Just a typical GP ship. I thought the red meant it'd be a bit more  
interesting. Oh well," as he absorbed the data, and left to search  
the ship for anything of value.  
  
He found nothing, except for a moment he felt like sabotaging  
the engine, and then he entered Kiyone and Mihoshi's room on  
the ship. The first thing that struck him was how one side, the  
right, was kept immaculately neat and tidy, while on the other  
side, everything seemed to be a mess. Tissue boxes, scattered  
books, spilled drinks, on the left, and the right, just perfect.  
Bending over the short pink table in the middle of the room, he  
too could see the difference. On the left side, stains of food and  
drinks marred the surface, while on the other side, only two  
marks were seen - a pair of hands, pressed onto the table so  
hard the person must have been very angry.  
  
Curiosity prompted a more thorough observation. A quick  
glance found him Mihoshi's photo, by her bed, the exact same  
one Kiyone had placed on her altar just last year when she  
thought Mihoshi was dead. Beside that, an alarm clock. One did  
not have to be very smart to see it had stopped ticking.   
  
"Pretty, cute, and not very well done."  
  
Looking on the other side, three alarm clocks, and...  
  
He stopped and stared.  
  
The photo of Kiyone stared him straight in the eye, in GP  
uniform, one hand placed tartly on her hip, the other holding a  
blaster by her ear. Her lips were curled into a ghost of smile,  
reserved and yet pretty. It seemed as though she was about to  
take a shot at him.  
  
She had.   
  
His eyes lingered a moment longer, then he stood up, his mouth  
curling in self-disgust.  
  
"She's a GP officer!" Almost unconsciously, his hand tossed a  
rod about thirty centimetres long that was sent in a curling arc  
of silver right into the photo, some three metres from him across  
the room, so it would fall on its face.  
  
"Damn." The photo had not fallen. He was already over the bed  
and beside it, his hand holding it up. His other hand gripped the  
rod, tightly. Sweat beaded his brow as he fought against  
himself.  
  
"I'll see first."  
  
There were two more photos near the centre of the room. One  
was of Kiyone and Mihoshi singing a Karaoke duet. He sighed  
as he saw how carefree and joyful she was, contrasting with the  
personal photo. The other one showed Kiyone and Mihoshi in  
complete GP uniform, with blazers and caps, standing before a  
man who was dressed like the GP Marshall. He could not be  
sure though, as the Marshall was bent over, almost on the verge  
of falling, with Mihoshi holding on with one hand on his collar,  
the other one on Kiyone's sleeve. The blonde detective had  
apparently tripped up, and Kiyone's face was that of utter shock  
and outrage, caught slightly off balance. Judging from the GP  
assemblage in the background, it was some kind of ceremony,  
maybe promotional...  
  
He stifled a smile, and decided. Taking out a metal device and  
passing it over each of the two photos and Kiyone's personal  
one, he then proceeded to search the room, careful not to leave  
any traces.  
  
Ah, there they were, the names.  
  
"Kiyone and Mihoshi. Hmmm, I wonder which is which."  
  
Returning to the bridge, he accessed GP files.  
  
"Ah, so she's Kiyone," as he looked through the long list of  
Mihoshi's foul-ups under the blonde's smiling face. Opening the  
other file...  
  
"Impressive! First in her class!" he thought. Unfortunately, she  
had only one significant work, though it had pushed her up from  
1st Class Detective to Detective Sergeant and, after some  
additional pressure by the Juraians, was redecorated to the  
rather prestigious 2nd Class Chief Inspector.  
  
"Wow, carried out a coup to oust Kagato, the impostor who  
usurped the Juraian throne, while protecting Princess Aeka and  
Sasami and working with the legendary warrior Yosho and his  
grandson Tenchi. Looks like I missed out on a lot of stuff while  
in the Academy."  
  
Reading on, 'Other associates include Ryoko, Ryo-oh-ki, Nagi,  
Ken-oh-ki, Washu, who assisted greatly in restoring the Juraian  
throne to its rightful owner.'  
  
"Washu!!" He recalled how the 'greatest genius scientist in the  
universe' had appeared just last year at the Academy. He did not  
have time to get to know her, but he knew she was the *best*.  
  
Still, he had managed to steal data on her previous experimentation   
with dimensional warping to supplement his new ship's resources,  
albeit investing considerable care and effort put into ensuring  
his intrusion remained undetected. It had helped greatly. The  
Tachyon Ray he had also installed was her credit too, though he  
had obtained it before he had seen her, under her invention files  
from seven hundred years ago. Not that it was by any means a  
slight to her, for certain regulations in the Science Academy  
made it easy to obtain copies of data, not to mention he had got  
the blueprint for the Ray some years before, and had been busy  
working on how to miniaturise it.   
  
Tapping a few buttons, he attempted to access files on Juraian  
Royalty.  
  
"ACCESS DENIED to GP Personnel, except to Marshall or Grand  
Marshall."  
  
Oh well, no matter, he think he knew vaguely who Aeka was. As  
for Yosho, he knew from legends he was not someone to be  
trifled with. Ryoko and Nagi were people he knew, not that they  
noticed him. He often took pains not to be noticed.  
  
Bringing the silver rod down in front of him, a portal opened, its  
blackness seeming to flow out of the tip of the rod.  
  
Oh, I nearly forgot.  
  
Turning back to the ship's computer, the intruder carefully  
erased all traces of his passage and accessing of files in the  
memory circuits.  
  
His figure loomed for a moment, framed against the dark circle,  
ere he vanished into the portal, which closed behind him.  
  
"Earth, here I come."  
  
Outside Yagami, the capsule like spacecraft sped away and  
downwards.  
  
====================================  
  
"Well, what I tell you?" Ryoko smiled at Tenchi over the couch,  
while Aeka helped Sasami to clear the dishes. "The carnival did  
come back."  
  
"Ryoko, you never spoke truer," Tenchi answered, a dreamy  
smile on his face as he watched as Aeka and Sasami bustle into  
the kitchen with the plates, thinking of how it had all started.  
  
"Though I'd rather some parts didn't show up." Ryoko  
contemplated a world, even if it was not for her and Tenchi only,  
at least without Aeka. A thought occurred to her. "Hey, what did  
you mean by that?"  
  
Tenchi just smiled at her, almost like he did when he threw her  
that apple after their adventures in Time and Space, and Ryoko  
*knew* he was referring to the 'most wanted space pirate' thing.  
"Too bad Washu isn't here," he commented as he was about to  
get up.   
  
"She'll show up, you'll see," Ryoko's eyes questioningly  
watched Tenchi get off the couch. "Hey, where are you going,  
Tenchi?"  
  
"Help the rest with the dishes... Hey, Ryoko, stop that!" As the  
pirate materialised before him and latched onto him.  
  
"But I don't want you to help them, I want you *all* to myself."  
Ryoko said as she squeezed him a little tighter.  
  
"Ryoko, what do you think you're doing!?" Aeka exclaimed to  
Ryoko's back as she came out of the kitchen. "Stop that, you're  
embarrassing Tenchi!" All Tenchi could manage was a weak  
smile to her as sweat beaded on his brow. "I said, stop that!"  
she shrieked again.  
  
Ryoko felt two hands land on her shoulder and braced herself  
for Aeka's tug.  
  
"Uh, Aeka, could you...?" Tenchi meekly said.  
  
"Yeah, lay off, princess, can't you see he's all mine?"  
  
"That wasn't what I meant..." Tenchi bit his lip and tried not to  
add that Aeka trying to pull Ryoko off him was, of course, that  
much more embarrassing.  
  
Ryoko got tugged off Tenchi, her arms held back by Aeka.   
  
"Princess, you've got some nerve!"  
  
"And you shouldn't do that to Tenchi!"  
  
"Grrr..."  
  
"Grrr..."  
  
The two girls faced each other, sparks crackling in the air  
between them.  
  
"Hey, stop that! Don't fight in here!!"  
  
"Hi, everyone!" Three pairs of eyes turned to look up the stairs,  
onto the blue-eyed blonde detective, or rather, Chief Inspector.  
Mihoshi stared at the two girls, arms interlocked, and Tenchi,  
helpless, behind them. "Uhh, I'm not interrupting anything, am I,  
huh?"  
  
"Hello, we've decided to stop by again," Kiyone spoke calmly,  
smoothly stepping before Mihoshi, and pulling her down by one  
wrist, discreetly ignoring the potentially explosive situation.  
Turning quickly back to her partner, "Move it, Mihoshi! Quit  
staring!" under her breath.  
  
"Uh, huh..." Mihoshi's face faded into her usual clueless smile  
as she let herself be led down by Kiyone. "Say, where's lunch?"  
as she looked at the empty dining table.  
  
"We've eaten," Aeka turned from Ryoko, defusing the situation.  
Ryoko gave her a disdainful stare, then as if to prove a point,  
appeared next to Tenchi again, leaning on his shoulder. Tenchi  
gave her a nervous look, but kept quiet so as not to alarm Aeka.  
  
"And I'm so hungry..."  
  
"Pipe down, Mihoshi! It's all because you had to go spill the  
paint all over the wall and the stained glass and we had to  
spend time to clean up the mess!"  
  
"I'm sorry, Kiyone..."  
  
"Sasami?" Kiyone called. The younger princess popped her  
head out of the kitchen, with Ryo-oh-ki perched on top, nibbling  
on a carrot.  
  
"Oh, it's you, Kiyone! I've saved lunch for both of you!"  
  
"Thank you, Sasami."  
  
"Oh thank you, thank you so much!" Mihoshi rushed past her  
partner and into the kitchen.  
  
"Sasami's pretty thoughtful, you know." Tenchi commented to  
Kiyone, as he stepped toward her. Ryoko seemed to be caught  
a little off balance, but floated beside Tenchi, and tried to   
seem as though nothing had affected her, though her eyes did   
seem to warn Kiyone to stay back.  
  
"Not like some people I know," Aeka pointedly added, moving  
close beside Tenchi, but not quite touching him. Ryoko's eyes  
blazed at her across Tenchi's shoulder, and Aeka disdainfully  
turned away, fixing her gaze on Kiyone, while Ryoko followed  
suit.  
  
"Uh, girls, don't..." Tenchi tried.   
  
Kiyone unconsciously stepped back under the concerted gaze of   
Ryoko and Aeka. "And... I think I'll just be getting my lunch,"   
And so saying, she fled into the kitchen.  
  
Tenchi relaxed. "You know, just because I step towards her and  
say something doesn't mean I'm making an advance to her."  
  
"A step forward sure looks like an advance to me," Ryoko  
sounded cold.  
  
"I'm know you wouldn't do such a thing, Tenchi, but it's best to  
be sure." Aeka added.  
  
He sighed. The carnival certainly seemed here to stay.  
  
====================================  
  
Several days before, in a distant part of the universe...  
  
The dust from the explosion finally cleared.  
  
"What happened!?"  
  
"Well Professor, you see, I um..."  
  
"Forget it," she sighed. "Out, get out of my lab."   
  
There was a brief sound of scuttling footsteps, and the door to  
her lab closed.  
  
What had happened to the Science Academy!? All she did was  
leave it for seven hundred years, and now, the lab assistants  
and students were all as bad as Mihoshi!   
  
As for the professors themselves, so far *only* two others had  
attempted to rival her research and invention process, and while  
she had conclusively demonstrated to them that she was the  
most genius scientist in the universe, that was still a pathetic  
number. In her time, she could remember lecturing a whole  
classroom full of ex-rivals, and happily see them walk out  
deflated and with a better perspective of the universe, some with  
extra (heavy) head ornaments.   
  
Only two other professors she might have considered more  
noteworthy, but these two did not attempt to prove themselves  
against her or to her. As for the students, there had been only  
six, in the entire academy, she might have considered promising  
material.  
  
Not only that, but they had indirectly stopped her from making  
Mecha-Washus, so there was no way to get decent help around.  
The Academy trains the very best to be scientists, they had said,  
and Mecha-Washu, especially if it has Washu's brain, would  
totally negate the need for the Academy. Besides, it also makes  
for a lot of confusion.  
  
She heard the door open behind her.  
  
"What is it?" Her spectral computer faded out of reality as she  
stopped typing, for already the lab showed no sign of damage  
being done to it. She turned to face the Academy's dean, a  
balding, apologetic excuse of a man with a totally unscientific  
mind, at least by Washu's standards.   
  
"Well, Professor, there's been an unfortunate incident."  
  
"Like what?" she sounded disinterested.  
  
"A student has vanished."  
  
"Big deal. Who was it?"  
  
"Yoda Shiro."  
  
"Quite a bright chap. Heard he was doing a miniature spaceship  
with stealth capabilities."  
  
"He has taken that with him. And his other projects."  
  
Washu yawned. "Such as...?"  
  
"We don't know for sure. He was developing an EMP device  
powerful enough to stop ships, for his other class."  
  
"Mmm-hmmm."  
  
"An energy blade device, that we now suspect to have a  
dimension rift creator."  
  
"Mmm..." Washu's brow wrinkled. "Say, wasn't it me who  
created the one and only dimensional rift device for Tenchi last  
year, during my time as a fugitive?"  
  
"Well, none of us here has actually created another one, but  
we've been studying your notes on its creation since you  
arrived and we suspect he may have seen the notes, both ours  
and yours."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"And we suspect he has materials from your lab too."  
  
"WHAT!?" Quickly she summoned up her spectral computer  
and typed furiously at it, checking for intrusions.  
  
"And just one more thing. Remember the Tachyon Ray you  
invented seven centuries ago?"  
  
Washu snorted at her terminal. "I should remember! One of the  
reasons you people gave for having me thrown out!"  
  
"Well, an analysis on the notes have showed some of the dust  
particles on it are missing, while materials required for creating  
one have been found in places he might have been to, including  
his room."  
  
"Urm, yeah." Something in the back of Washu's screamed at her  
to be concerned, but she was too busy with her computer.  
"Found it!" Her eyes went to the top of her lab. In a corner, a  
ventilator. She pointed at it. "He came in from there! The screws  
are slightly loose! And there is a spot there where he placed a  
levitating pulley so he can send a rope down without touching  
the ceiling or the wall, that's why there's a little less oxygen in  
the area! He must have deactivated the alarm devices in the  
ventilator!" Washu mentally chided herself. Working in another  
dimension would have prevented all this, except for the stupid  
rules...  
  
The dean's face turned white.  
  
"That must be how he got into so many places...!"  
  
Something clicked in Washu's mind. "Hold it! Did you say MY  
Tachyon Ray?"  
  
"Yes, only the one and only genius scientist in the universe  
could have invented that." The dean sighed. "It has some  
destructive powers, I believe? One or two planets, according to  
your notes."  
  
"That was what I tested it on in my alternate dimension. BUT I  
had the right settings for that result."  
  
The dean's eyes bulged out as he absorbed the meaning of her  
words.  
  
"That means if you alter the settings...?"  
  
"Theoretically, it means it can destroy anything from just a  
space ship to a planetary system to an asteroid field to a *really*  
large space fleet." Washu said solemnly.  
  
"Is that written down anywhere?"  
  
"Only on my personal notes. From that one experiment I  
extrapolated other settings for the other results." 'Which he may  
have seen', the obvious extension to that line, remained  
unspoken.  
  
"Oh no," the dean whispered. "Now we've really got a  
situation."  
  
"It's all your stupid regulations. I should have abolished that rule  
on always making back-up notes on paper during my brief  
chairmanship." Washu looked thoughtfully at her computer, and  
sure enough, another thought locked into place. She did not  
usually think of such things, but still she asked. "Say, have we  
ever released any findings to further the ship arms, stealth, and  
all that?"  
  
"Once in a while, but nothing that serious."  
  
"So this Yoda guy, whoever he is, has this really tiny spaceship  
that can't be detected by ships, can only be shot at by manual  
firing, armed with the most powerful weapons of our time, short  
of something just about only I can invent?"  
  
The dean could only nod dumbly, as he watched the red-headed  
scientist type furiously at her terminal, summoning up the GP  
files.  
  
"What are you standing there for? Get me his file!!!" Washu  
screamed.  
  
====================================  
  
"Hello, welcome to Mos Burger! What would be your order, sir?"  
Kiyone smiled at a customer. Removing his sunglasses, the  
man smiled back.  
  
He was a little taller than Kiyone, with a head of somewhat long,  
fine black hair, combed neatly with a side parting. A thin  
moustache joined up with a goatee, that looked fine on the end  
of his sharp chin with high cheek bones. His eyes were blue  
beneath his high forehead, and despite his slightly coarse  
complexion and that he looked like he was thirty odd years old,  
he was still rather strikingly dash in his white tee, with a sky blue  
vest and blue trousers. That, plus something in his demeanour  
and expression, suddenly made Kiyone's smile a lot more  
natural.  
  
"Just a Teriyaki Chicken burger, please."  
  
"Would you like a meal instead, sir? It's better value for money."   
  
His eyes seemed to twinkle as he considered it.  
  
Was that my imagination? Kiyone thought to herself. And what  
am I doing looking at his eyes?  
  
"Well, okay, I guess. Thank you." His hand placed the money on  
the counter, a genial but nevertheless somehow distant smile  
on his face.  
  
"Thank you, sir." She did not have to return change, the amount  
was exact. "Please take a seat and wait for your burger." She  
pressed the number tag into his hand, a little harder than was  
usual for her. "Next, please." Kiyone tried to ignore the  
commotion at the other counter originating from another  
blunder from Mihoshi, and as she turned her head slightly aside,  
she saw the man's head tilt slightly back, snatching a quick look  
back at her. With the briefest flicker of surprised astonishment  
within the depths of his blue eyes, the man quickly broke eye  
contact and hurried around the corner on her right.  
  
Kiyone blinked.  
  
There might have been something there... or maybe not. I'm not  
sure, but there was nothing carnal about that, almost as if he  
were not looking at my appearance at all, just of me, for myself...  
but I'm not sure...  
  
Hello!? An irate part of her mind reminded. There's like another  
fellow in line?  
  
"Oh, sorry to have kept you waiting, sir! May I take your order?"  
Damn, thought Kiyone to herself. Mihoshi is rubbing off on me.  
  
The manager finally finished with Mihoshi, and the blonde lady  
quickly got to work, not at the counter any more, but at  
distributing the food. Picking up the first order, she quickly got  
out.  
  
"53. 53. Ah, there." She saw the same man Kiyone had served,  
with the tag, seated just a table away. "There you are!" Hurrying  
over, she failed to see a bag sticking out in her way.  
  
"Ahh....!"   
  
Kiyone heard her, shook her head, and waited expectantly for  
the crash. It didn't come.  
  
Seeing there were no more customers before her, Kiyone  
quickly walked out from behind the counter and peered round  
the corner. Mihoshi was being helped up by a man, whose left  
hand on her shoulder had stopped her from falling, while the  
tray balanced nicely in the his other hand.  
  
Well, what do you know, it's him again... Kiyone thought as she  
heard the store manager move behind her to look upon the  
scene.  
  
"Uh, I'm sorry," Mihoshi started as she stood up. "Thank you,  
really."   
  
The man smiled, a seemingly more youthful smile than befitted  
his age, then turned his back and started placing his meal on his  
table. "Don't mention it. Besides, I paid for this food, so I had  
best make sure it comes to me intact. Say, what's your name?"  
He turned slowly around as he asked the question, and he was  
looking straight at Kiyone as he said the last word.  
  
Kiyone blinked.  
  
Wait, was that meant for me?   
  
Of course not! Don't be stupid, Kiyone.  
  
Mihoshi didn't notice anything out of the way either. "I, uh, am  
Mihoshi, what's your na.." before she realised all the people  
looking at her and the man, who sat down and started  
unwrapping his burger. "Oh, this is so embarrassing!!" As she  
started hopping around distractedly.  
  
"Mihoshi, get back here!" Kiyone called.  
  
"Uh, coming, Kiyone!"   
  
As Mihoshi hurried over, Kiyone's quick glance to the side  
found a soft smile playing on the man's lips, as they  
soundlessly pronounced what she felt certain was her name.  
  
"Kiyone." She could almost hear him, then he abruptly bit into  
the burger, moving just a little too quickly for it to be natural.  
  
He knows my name!  
  
Big deal. And pray tell, what were you doing looking at him?  
  
That? Oh that was nothing, just coincidence.  
  
Yeah right. And in case you forgot, this is a job, even if it's only  
part time.  
  
Quickly she hurried back to her place, just as the manager was  
about to call for her.  
  
She glanced at her watch, forgetting all thoughts about nice, not  
too bad looking men giving her admiring, respectful and  
somehow apprehensive looks. She and Mihoshi would have to  
report for their next job soon, in about an hour and a half, then   
after that shift, which would mean they have to skip dinner, they   
could return to their apartment and to Tenchi's place for a bath   
and supper.   
  
====================================  
  
In an alley somewhere in the city, a group of three men were  
discussing some job...  
  
"I don't know about this, ain't right. I mean how much can there  
be in that place?"  
  
"Well, at least we get to walk out easy peasy, not like the tough  
calls with banks nowadays. Security in those kind o' places?  
Hell I don't think no one cares, so there ain't gonna be no one  
there."  
  
The other ruffian, the youngest of them, looked somewhat  
uncertain, but swallowed his doubts before the glare of his  
leader. "Okay, whatever you say boss."  
  
"Remember the plan," The thick set fellow reminded, looking at  
him. "You and I just go in clean and easy, while Hirotomo, you  
cover us."  
  
"Okay..." the other two chorused.  
  
"Oh, and one more thing. Please don't be squeamish about  
pulling the trigger. Last time you should have put some slugs in  
that fatso, then maybe we wouldn't have gotten nailed."  
  
"Sorry boss. Won't happen again." The third, lanky fellow  
looked sheepish.  
  
"Let's get going then."  
  
====================================  
  
"Ooops..." The blonde stared at the growing puddle of soft  
drinks on the floor, along with the scattered fries.  
  
"MIHOSHI!"  
  
Kiyone rolled her eyes as she heard the manager thunder, and  
yet another customer came in.  
  
Great, now she's managed to knock over one of the trays while  
only halfway out from around the counter... This is just making  
my day.  
  
"Thank you, sir," Kiyone replied cheerily, passing the tag and  
change to the customer, as the other cashier, the one two  
metres on her right and closest to Mihoshi, passed the blonde  
some serviettes to clean up the mess with. "Have a seat first,  
your food will soon be right with you!"   
  
Well, so long as Mihoshi doesn't get anywhere near your meal,  
that is.  
  
"Next please."  
  
A rather slovenly youth, maybe just in his late teens, who looked  
like he had just got out of bed without shaving and was dressed  
shabbily, shuffled over before Kiyone.  
  
"Welcome to Mosburger! Your order, sir?"  
  
"Erm... ketchup and chilli?" He ventured, uncertainly.  
  
"No no no!" A middle aged man, dressed slightly better than the  
youth and clean shaven at least, who was standing second in  
line before the other cashier, exclaimed to the chap in  
annoyance. "It's burgers and fries!"  
  
Kiyone smiled somewhat, in some form of empathy. It was  
reminiscent of Mihoshi, as the youth stared uncertainly at the  
man, then turned back to her, his mouth drawling hesitantly.  
  
"Erm, burgers and..."  
  
"What kind of burger, sir?" Kiyone interrupted before he could  
finish. "Our specialty are rice burgers, and that will go with what  
size fries, sir?" Her hand picked up the pen as she prepared to  
mark down the order.  
  
"Uh, okay... whatever..." The lad before her mumbled, and the  
middle-aged woman behind him scowled in irritation at the  
delay.  
  
"Next please," the other cashier announced, and the middle  
aged man stepped forward. "One large coke, that's all." Then he  
furtively looked at the youth on his right, and whispered loudly.  
"Tsukune rice burger and fries!"  
  
"Tsu... Tsuku..."   
  
But Kiyone was already scribbling down the order as he  
muttered, unsure how to pronounce the name. "Would you like  
a drink with that, sir?"  
  
The middle aged man called over to the youth again. "It's  
TSUKUNE, you dimwit! And no, no drink... Now get the money  
out!"  
  
Kiyone naturally assumed his words were directed at the youth,  
so she casually reached up a hand, as she ripped the order off  
her pad and looked up...  
  
Click...  
  
"Heh, oh yes." The young man before her announced, a roguish  
grin visible on his face behind the .45 automatic pistol muzzle  
she found aiming right between her eyes. "This is my kind of  
order." If he were smarter, he might have noticed how Kiyone  
looked at him in mild surprise rather than fear, but he wasn't, so  
he didn't. "Get the moolah out, doll."  
  
The middle aged man smiled at the other, more distraught  
cashier before him. "Just to let those behind me who think they  
want to act hero, or rather dead, there's another of our chaps  
inside here by the door, so... it's your choice." His muzzle  
pressed harder on the temple of the cashier before him, who  
had froze half turned as she had been going to get his drink  
when he had put the weapon to her head.  
  
Kiyone frowned in irritation as she heard her colleague  
frantically opening her cash register. The youth in front of her  
wasn't a problem, these people were probably just the run of the  
mill mugger types and not hard core murderers or quick shots,  
but she was still worried about the safety of the earthling girl  
beside her. If she reacted her colleague might well get her brains  
blown out, and she could see another gunman, lanky form  
leaning relaxed by the entrance door, a revolver held at his waist  
level, sweeping around to shadow everyone before him, as well  
as the turn around the corner near where Mihoshi was cleaning  
as more patrons might come around it.  
  
"What's the problem? You deaf or what?" The young fellow  
leaned forward, frowning. Dimly Kiyone registered, in the  
background of the manager's teeth chattering nervously and  
her colleague's hand rifling through the cash register, Mihoshi  
humming contentedly to herself, still happily lost on a level,  
namely that of shoes and knees, where everything seemed as it  
should be. The youth frowned, pushing the muzzle hard into her  
face, and she could feel the cold metal press against the bridge  
of her nose as he leaned even closer. "Or do you want me to go  
around back and show you the real meaning of a stick up?"  
  
"It's a hold up you idiot!" The other man shouted, his gaze  
swivelling aside to his accomplice.  
  
Well, if I assessed them correctly, this should work...  
  
The youth, inclining his face to the side, was about to murmur  
some lame apology to his boss when Kiyone's head ducked  
down from in front of his gun. Her wrists shot up in that same   
instant, seizing his hand and aiming his gun out over her head,   
before she jerked him forward over the counter towards her.  
  
"What the...!" The youth managed, then Kiyone's right hand  
pressed the trigger, praying it had the desired effect.   
  
The explosive shot made everyone nearby, and most importantly,   
Kiyone's colleague at the other cash register, drop to the ground  
instantly, while Mihoshi looked up in surprise. There were  
surprised shouts as most of the patrons who were seated  
around the corner and not within sight of the gunmen fled out  
the back door of the joint. Yet there was one who stayed, and as he  
looked up from his meal, one could see that his expression was very   
much like Kiyone's as the gun was held before her, that of mild  
surprise with a touch of annoyance.  
  
Back in front, Kiyone ducked down behind the counter, twisting the   
youth's wrist and throwing him over her in the same motion, a   
heartbeat before the middle aged man settled his aim on her.  
  
"Aargh!" Wrenching pain shot up the youth's arm as his grip  
loosened, and Kiyone promptly snatched the weapon into her right  
hand. The thud as the youth hit the tiles was followed by a shot   
as a bullet whizzed over the surface of the counter close to her.   
Kiyone glared at the youth sprawled before her as he groggily   
returned to his senses, and her eyes narrowed.  
  
So, show me the meaning of a stick up, huh?  
  
Her fingers tightened on the gun's trigger, and she fired twice  
towards the direction of the youth as another bullet from the  
leader's weapon ricocheted off the counter top.  
  
"Don't you dare hurt Kiyone!" Mihoshi cried in anger as she  
suddenly realised where the man standing next to her was  
aiming at, and acted.   
  
"Whoa!" The man exclaimed as his legs were tugged out from  
under him.  
  
However, the lanky fellow near the door, who had not opened  
fire at Kiyone as she had not been visible from his position,   
quite happily switched to the alternative target.  
  
Too bad, it has to be that cute blonde. Ah well mustn't be  
squeamish that's what the boss said... the lanky fellow thought,   
and Kiyone's eyes peeked up from behind the counter just in   
time to see him take aim.   
  
MIHOSHI!  
  
"Gaaah!" The gunman exclaimed as a paper cup hurtled  
towards him, spilling its contents right into his face.   
Something gripped Mihoshi by the ankle and pulled her away,   
before the bullet the gunman had loosed just skimmed by before   
her head.   
  
"Damned!" The man swore aloud as he hurriedly wiped the  
droplets of soft drink off his face.  
  
Oops... the fellow holding Mihoshi by the ankle thought as his  
attention focused on the barrel of the weapon being aimed at  
him by the dripping, angry gunman right at his crouching form.  
Oh well...  
  
There was a report, and a yelp of pain as the pistol dropped to  
the floor, with the gunman clutching at the bloodied hole that  
had appeared in the middle of his right hand.  
  
Heh, he thought, smiling. Kiyone.  
  
"Let go of me, you!" Mihoshi cried, thinking the man was some  
kind of pervert, before planting her heel straight into his right  
hand holding on to her ankle.  
  
Ouch! He winced and let go at the pain, then stepped around  
the corner.  
  
"Look, I was just trying to..." He blinked as his eyes met those of  
the leader, who was still on the ground and about to fire at Mihoshi.  
  
Seeing what seemed to be another threat looming up from around the   
corner, the leader reacted, and the stranger's eyes widened as   
they focused on the pistol muzzle that had just swiveled over to   
face him.  
  
There was another report and a cry, before Kiyone landed on  
the floor, having dived sideways over the counter, face grim and  
holding the smoking automatic in her right hand.  
  
Mihoshi, who was lying face up on the ground, finally registered the   
who the person who had grabbed her was. "Oh, it's you!" Behind her,  
on the floor, the leader cradled his broken hand, trying to stop his   
tears of pain.  
  
The man ignored Mihoshi, watching Kiyone as she jumped to  
her feet, seeming no less surprised than her partner at who   
the unexpected ally was.  
  
It's *him* again!  
  
She hid her surprise well though, even though it exacerbated   
her disconcertment to see him arch an eyebrow approvingly at her,   
flashing that odd, too youthful smile.  
  
"Nice shooting, ace." He flashed her a thumbs up, blue eyes  
shining oddly.  
  
"Right," was all she could be bothered to say, her eyes quickly  
returning to the two criminals. "Show's over." She was about to   
read them their rights when she remembered she was not exactly  
a law enforcer on this planet. "Get yourselves off the floor."  
  
Leaning his back to the glass, the lanky man by the door got up  
painfully to his feet. The middle-aged man made as if to get up,  
then his left hand reached out...  
  
BANG!   
  
"I said show's over." Kiyone repeated menacingly, as the leader  
stared. The slug had just whizzed by his fingers to embed itself  
squarely in the ground inside the trigger hole of the pistol lying  
on the floor in front of him. "If you want to try again, that might  
be your life that's over next time."   
  
Still clutching his injured hand, the man got up slowly to his feet,  
glaring at Kiyone.  
  
"Reimura, go get the cops." She kept her aim steady, not even glancing  
over to where her colleague was.  
  
Trembling, the other cashier girl behind the counter got up, as  
did the three customers who had been lying low on the floor  
around the front of the counter.  
  
Reimura blinked as she saw the youth before her on the ground,  
behind the counter where Kiyone had been, with his closed  
eyes and pale face. "Is he...?"  
  
"He'll be fine when he comes round. Just go call the cops."  
  
The girl hurried to the back of the store, stepping over the  
manager, who was still huddled in a corner biting his fingernails  
in terror. It really wasn't her fault that she didn't see that where  
the young rogue lay sprawled unconscious, there were two  
holes just in front of where his legs were splayed slightly apart,  
which was probably the cause of his fainting.  
  
As Mihoshi got to her feet, the three customers who had been  
queuing up rather hastily left the outlet. Kiyone got both men to  
press themselves against the glass wall by the door, before  
training the pistol on them behind their backs.  
  
"I'll be talking and relaxing now," she announced, her voice  
deliberately steady and neutral. "Feel free to run, especially  
because you can now believe I'm not aiming this gun at you.  
Remember, you have to be lucky for at least five seconds to pull  
the door open and get out, while I have only to be lucky once for  
each of you." Here her voice became grim. "And believe me,  
when it comes to shooting, luck has very little to do with me."  
  
"Erm... sorry about kicking you, but even though we've kinda  
met," Mihoshi tripped uncertainly over her words, as she faced  
the man. "I'm not really used to having strangers touch me..."  
  
For a response, the stranger looked intently at Kiyone, amused,  
before arching a questioning eyebrow, and tilting his head  
slightly in Mihoshi's direction.  
  
Your turn, he seemed to be say.   
  
"I'm very sorry about this..." Kiyone bowed her head  
sheepishly, apologising on behalf of Mihoshi, who was looking  
from one to the other, still confused.  
  
"Kiyone, what's going on?"  
  
"Well, for starters, you owe this man over here your life." The  
green haired detective muttered crossly. "That's about it, except  
for the part where you nearly got yourself killed twice..."  
  
"Oh, I did?" Mihoshi raised a finger to her lips, looking puzzled.  
  
Kiyone rolled her eyes, deciding since Mihoshi was not about to  
do so, she would be obligated to say something on her behalf.  
"Thank you, sir."   
  
The fellow shook his head deprecatingly. "I wouldn't dare  
accept that... It'd be two slugs in my guts by now if not for you."  
His smile was warm and sincere, but his eyes seemed to refuse  
to look straight at her, as if roving around, lost and worried.  
  
"Not really," Kiyone replied, a little mirth creeping inside her  
voice, as she noted with some degree of amused curiosity his  
broken eye contact. Generally such details would have been  
missed by most, while Kiyone herself would not usually bother  
to even consciously register such details, but somehow at this  
moment, even while keeping one eye on the crooks by the door,  
she still did take note of it. "They would be in Mihoshi, if   
not for you."  
  
"Maybe... who knows?" His voice was soft, almost too soft, and  
it was with some surprise that Kiyone suddenly realised she  
found him and his reservations rather... intriguing.  
  
"Oh so I guess I really do owe him, huh?" Mihoshi asked, then  
her arms suddenly opening wide as if to administer a grateful  
hug, she jumped at the stranger, who started back in surprise.   
"Oh thank you thank you so much for sav..." Her foot stepped on a  
certain paper cup which contents had saved her from being  
shot earlier, and her eyes widened... "...waaaAAH!"  
  
Oh great... Kiyone slapped her hand to her forehead as Mihoshi,  
hands flailing helplessly, careened straight into the surprised  
fellow, and there was a brief commotion...  
  
"Ooops." Mihoshi exclaimed, looking under her. "Did I hurt  
you?" She was sort of face up.  
  
"Not really," came a muffled voice from under her, seeming to  
come from somewhere near the small of her back. "But do you  
mind getting up, please? It's a little cramped down here, even if  
it's a hormonally desirable place for my head to be in." It was   
with some astonishment that Kiyone realised the person sounded calm  
and amused, rather than angry and irritated.  
  
"Come on, Mihoshi..." Kiyone helped her partner up, and the  
black haired stranger sprang nimbly to his feet, and dusted  
himself off. "I'm very sorry, sir, you'll have to forgive Mihoshi,  
she tends to get a little over enthusiastic..."  
  
"Can tell," he murmured, and although his twinkling eyes rested  
on Mihoshi, somehow Kiyone felt they were actually looking at  
her...  
  
Let's try this, then...  
  
"Mihoshi!" She cried, turning her attention fully to her partner.  
"You should be the one apologising!"  
  
"I'm..."   
  
Not waiting for Mihoshi's reply, Kiyone shot a sideward glance  
to the stranger, and she was surprised to note a tremor of thrill  
run through her, as sure enough, the bright, blue eyes were  
watching her, and his face was lighted up with a smile, radiant  
and vibrant, yet somehow oddly young for his age.  
  
His eyes widened, as they met hers, and within them, affirmation  
of what she had seen earlier... a burning, all consuming  
affection, yet somehow withdrawn and fearful, almost as if in  
awe of her...  
  
Hurriedly, he broke off, averting his eyes, with his smile  
threatening to fall apart...  
  
Unbidden, Kiyone felt her cheeks warm up. No one had looked  
at her that way before! It was not at her body, then at her. It was  
just at her. She had learned long ago to see lust for what it was,  
learning from Mihoshi's mistakes. All the men she and Mihoshi  
met she had seen through, and she had grown to distance  
herself from their attentions. With the exception of Tenchi and  
Katsuhito, this stranger was the only man who looked on her  
with a different eye.  
  
What *am* I thinking!? She snarled at herself.  
  
"Kiyone?" Mihoshi asked, surprised. "What's wrong?"  
  
"Huh?" She blinked. "Oh, nothing!" She was a little  
disconcerted to note, out of the corner of her eye, the stranger  
was studiously keeping his sights on Mihoshi, as if deliberately  
forcing himself not to risk another look at Kiyone. Yet this  
contrasted very intensely with the same youthful smile he  
continued to wear, despite it initially faltering, and it looked  
somehow so out of place, it burned an impression deep within  
Kiyone's mind.  
  
"Oh my, that's a funny smile you got, sir," it seemed even  
Mihoshi had noticed. "You look kind of odd, you know that?"   
Then she smiled. "But nice."  
  
For a reply, the fellow's eyes seemed to twinkle at Mihoshi, and  
Kiyone started again in astonishment as she saw he regarded  
her with the same detached affection Tenchi showed Mihoshi.  
  
"Uh... sorry about that, sir... uh..." Mihoshi stumbled over her  
words again. "Uh... what's your name?"  
  
Kiyone felt a thought sink into her...  
  
Where *are* my manners? I didn't even ask him for his name...  
  
The fellow raised an eyebrow, looking amused. "Heh, wouldn't  
you like to know..." but Kiyone noted that his smile had  
subsided into a more ordinary one at the question.  
  
Before she could sort out her thoughts further, the front doors  
suddenly burst open at this point, to reveal three uniformed  
men. The two by the side pushed the one in the middle out in  
front.  
  
"Erm, hi!" The fellow greeted nervously, waving his truncheon  
weakly around. "Did something happen here?" Then, as an  
afterthought. "I, I mean we, we're the police."  
  
Inept morons, Kiyone could not help thinking.  
  
"I'll be going now," the stranger whispered. "Good day."  
  
Kiyone just managed to make out that odd smile flash for an  
instant, and his gaze met hers briefly again, before he vanished  
back around the corner.  
  
"Hey wait!" One of the cops made to move over, but Kiyone  
noted that the figure of the stranger as he disappeared was  
moving marginally faster now than earlier...  
  
Almost like he was running away.  
  
She resisted an impulse to race after him.  
  
No I don't like him! She muttered at her mind. It's just that he  
feels and acts funny, and besides that's my police instincts...  
  
"I lost him... I think he went out the back door," said the  
policeman, returning back around the corner, looking sheepish.  
"Erm, I don't suppose you know who he is?" He addressed  
Kiyone and Mihoshi.  
  
"Just a customer," Kiyone replied, her face calm. "So, what will  
it be?"  
  
Then the police were prying and poking and making notes  
already, not to mention taking the two ruffians and the  
unconscious youth into custody.  
  
====================================  
  
When the police left about an hour later, it was drizzling  
somewhat outside, and by then Kiyone felt certain she had long  
since sorted out her thoughts.  
  
All right, I'm just grateful towards him, that's all it is. After all, he  
saved Mihoshi twice, even if the second time was inadvertant  
and if I see him again I must remember to thank him...  
  
Not today you won't... A voice smirked inside her. Maybe next  
week if you are lucky.  
  
Her mind's eye briefly glimpsed the blue eyes and odd smile  
upon her, then she almost angrily consigned the image back  
into the shadowed recesses of her mind.  
  
What's *wrong* with me!?  
  
Kiyone frowned in irritation, and glanced at her watch.  
  
Great, time for our next job...  
  
"Mihoshi, it's five thirty already! Time to get going."  
  
"Oh?" The blonde looked at Kiyone questioningly. "For what?"  
  
Kiyone rolled her eyes. "Our next job, don't you remember? The  
one at the florists' department store?"  
  
"Uh, oh okay..." Mihoshi quite naturally made to go out the front  
door.  
  
"MIHOSHI!"  
  
"Huh, Kiyone?"  
  
The green haired detective glared back, and pointed at herself.  
  
"What?" Mihoshi asked, putting a finger to her lips, and looking  
utterly confused.  
  
"We need to get *changed*..." Kiyone growled. "*These* are our  
service uniforms for this place..."  
  
"Uh, oh okay," Mihoshi followed her lead, then paused as  
Kiyone stopped halfway to the changing room. "Kiyone?"  
  
"You go first," Kiyone smiled, as her eyes went to the manager  
of the joint, still sitting in a chair facing the counter, trying to  
recompose himself by slucking on a cup of iced peach tea. As  
Mihoshi went around the corner, Kiyone stepped up behind the  
man. "Hello!"  
  
"Aaah!" The pasty-faced fellow nearly jumped out of his skin.  
"Oh, whew, it's you, Kiyone...that nearly gave me a heart  
attack..."  
  
"You think I did okay back there?" Kiyone asked, smiling  
winningly at the man.  
  
"You were great! Awesome! How could I ever repay you!?"  
  
"Well, how about..." Kiyone's eyes twinkled. "...a bonus? And a  
raise?"  
  
"Uhh..."   
  
"Eight thousand yen for today's work, and an eight hundred yen  
wage increase per hour for me and Mihoshi?" She grinned.  
  
"Erm..." the man licked his lips nervously. "How about three  
thousand and three hundred respectively?"  
  
"HEY, that's not even half! Come on, we're in house security  
guards too, you know!" Kiyone grumbled, but she noted though  
the manager was cowed, there was a steely defiance about him.  
"Seven thousand, seven hundred each at least."  
  
A while later...  
  
"...and so that's a six thousand yen bonus and a six hundred  
yen increase." Kiyone smiled, winking at her partner. "How  
about that?"  
  
"Yay!" Mihoshi applauded, then stopped, looking thoughtful.  
"Uh, so do we *really* have to go to this job and miss dinner...?"  
Mihoshi asked as they made to leave by the front door of the  
restaurant, and Kiyone sighed.  
  
"Look, we don't have a choice, things are so expensive here, we  
need to scrape together everything we can."   
  
"But... it's raining out there!"  
  
"Like I said, we don't have a choice..." Pushing open the door  
to the restaurant, Kiyone saw that there was something hanging  
in front of the door.   
  
An umbrella.  
  
"What the...?" Kiyone picked it up and saw within it, packet of  
fries, wrapped up neatly in plastic to prevent its contents from  
spilling out, and... a card.  
  
'For Kiyone, and Mihoshi.' It read. The rain seemed to become  
heavier.  
  
"Hey, Kiyone, where's that from?"  
  
"I don't know, but..." the green haired detective fingered the  
label with the price tag still attached to the handle, and she  
remembered the rain had only just started. "It sure is new."  
Looking around, her eyes found a small shop on her left, selling,  
among other things, umbrellas. Beyond the building ended. "It's  
from that man, Mihoshi."  
  
"Huh? How?"  
  
"He walked out the exit behind, round the back of the building,  
went into that shop to buy this, wrapped his fries up, put both  
packet and card in, hung it here and left." Her eyes rove around  
carefully, as she noted she had not seen the umbrella earlier,  
only as she and Mihoshi left the joint. "And only just a while  
ago."   
  
"Oh..." Mihoshi scratched her head, then reached into the  
umbrella and unwrapped the packet of fries, which was  
somehow still hot, as if the fries had just been fried. "Nice..."  
She was about to pop one into her mouth when...  
  
"Wait!" Kiyone cried, and Mihoshi froze.  
  
Hey, what are you so worried about? Kiyone's mind asked her.  
Come on, if he wanted to hurt you two he wouldn't have helped  
you out back there, right?  
  
"Uh, never mind..." Kiyone answered.  
  
"Oh, it's really warm..." Mihoshi laughed as she downed it. "So, I  
guess whoever he is, he sure is thoughtful, huh?"  
  
Kiyone allowed herself a smile. "Yeah, I suppose so." And she  
rather gingerly helped herself to a french fry.  
  
Eyes followed their movements, and despite the raindrops  
pelting down on him, the person's face gave way reluctantly to a  
fragile smile as he watched them.  
  
Which suddenly quivered, and died.  
  
Shaking his head, he walked quickly away and into the rain.  
  
====================================  
  
"We must try to get hold of the princesses of Jurai." One voice  
said.  
  
"Pointless, they've got Yosho protecting them." Another voice.  
  
"We could try to get better weapons and ships." Another voice.  
  
"Say, which reminds me, have you all heard of a small incident  
at the Science Academy?" A fourth voice.  
  
"Look, you just said 'small'. Why would we have heard it?"  
  
"It's small because they want to keep it small. It seems that  
some student has stolen some really awesome technology from  
them."  
  
"How big is this tech?"  
  
"Remember how our breakthroughs often come from the few  
spies I have inside? Well, I've only been working at the student  
level. This fellow has got technology from the best."  
  
"Like?"  
  
"Have you heard of Professor Washu?"  
  
"Yes, I heard she became the de facto head of the Academy  
since the Kagato incident, although the dean and the chairman  
are technically in charge."  
  
"I heard she was the chairman."  
  
"Well, she was, at least until she resigned. And he stole from  
her."  
  
"WHAT?"  
  
"Among others."  
  
A pause as the three others absorbed the potential in his  
statement.  
  
"In fact, she has left the Science Academy. It's ostensibly to visit  
her former associates Aeka and Sasami on Earth, but we believe  
she wishes to track this guy down."  
  
"That bad, huh?"  
  
"We have to get to that spy."  
  
"Any ideas where he went?"  
  
"Nope. But I think we'd do well to keep an eye on Washu. At the  
same time, try to get hold of the princesses somehow, okay?"  
  
"No problem."  
  
"Oh, and one more thing. I have a hunch that guy was one of  
our agents."  
  
"Are you sure? I've seen the most of the latest recruits."  
  
"About a hundred years ago."  
  
"Darned, that's not good. Any ex-agent would have to be almost  
perfect to have avoided termination for so long."  
  
"Yes, and on his files, he is very *good* at spying." A pause. "If it  
is him."  
  
"Real neat, as if the episode at the Science Academy didn't tell  
us that much already. Now, let's get to work, gentlemen."  
  
"Just one more thing. Do you think we should use the new  
prototypes? They're pretty good, so we may want to save them  
for later, unless the situation warrants them."  
  
"Hmm, good question. Use the weaker X and L prototypes. The  
rest we will hold in reserve."  
  
"I, for one, recommend the Cam models. They are suited for  
subterfuge, are they not?"  
  
"Very well, then. Terminate?"  
  
"Concur." The other three voices chimed.  
  
"Syndicate meeting concluded."  
  
=== End of Chapter ===  
  
I hope you have enjoyed this Fanfic as much as I have typing it.  
If there are any more grammar errors, I beg your forgiveness, as  
my sole proofreader is myself.  
  
This is my first FF, so go ahead and mail me at zyraen@yahoo.com  
with comments, especially on character portrayal, realism, and  
whether I fulfilled/broke my own guidelines for the characters. 


	2. No Need for Emotions

Disclaimer :  
Most characters in this story are property of AIC and Pioneer.  
REWRITE Note : Minor revisions on the window scene and in some  
inconsequential conversation on the new scene. It also adds some  
additional reason to why she should trust him. That's about it.  
  
They are in such a situation solely because of my imagination.  
This story was written purely for fun.  
  
This FF is based on the TV Series, with some powers drawn over  
from the OAV, but with no Light Hawk Wings.  
  
This story contains no sex, so please do not expect it.  
  
Before I wrote this Fanfic, I have only read 2 Fanfics, Aikan  
Muyo and To Love & To Hate. Since then I have read some others,  
and have noted some writers have a tendency to portray some  
characters inaccurately. I hope I have not fallen into that trap.  
  
That's about it, I'm a simple soul at heart...  
  
DARKNESS & LIGHT - No Need For Kova  
  
By Zyraen  
  
Chapter II : No Need for Emotions  
  
"I'll get it!" Tenchi made his way to the door.  
  
"Hi, Tenchi, nice to see you."  
  
Looking down, Tenchi beheld the cutest, littlest red-headed  
scientist in the all of existence.  
  
"Uh, hello, Washu," Tenchi tried hard to disguise the  
simultaneous joy and fear that had risen in him. "Will you be  
staying long?"  
  
"Maybe. Maybe not." The scientist stepped in and looked  
around. "Things haven't changed much, I see."   
  
Ryoko and Aeka looked up from the TV simultaneously.  
  
"Washu!"  
  
"Yes, it's me, girls."  
  
Sasami's head poked out of the kitchen.  
  
"All right!" Her freckled face exploded into mirth. "Now  
everyone's back again! Tenchi!!"  
  
"Right, Sasami." Rather sheepishly, Tenchi led Washu to the  
storeroom door. On it someone had taped a sign saying  
'Welcome back Washu! Your room is ready!'  
  
"Not bad," Washu said as she opened the door and looked into  
the storeroom. "Same as the last time I saw it. Guess it's time to  
get settled in."  
  
Deciding he did not want to watch as the spectral computer  
materialised, Tenchi surreptitiously made his way out and  
seated himself at the table, with Ryoko and Aeka both before  
him, eyes glued on the TV set. Hopefully they would continue to  
ignore him.  
  
Actually, now that he thought about it, it was really strange the  
way he treated Aeka and Ryoko. Both were girls he loved, he  
could not fail to deny. He was absolutely certain he could not  
make himself forsake either one of them, but then again that was  
also true for Sasami or Mihoshi. Kiyone and Washu, well, they  
felt like they could take care of themselves.  
  
So how did his feelings for Aeka and Ryoko differ from those of  
the other two?  
  
Well, they did fight over him, and that made it different  
somehow. They loved him…  
  
But did he love them back?  
  
Well… maybe… perhaps… yes.  
  
Was he even worthy of their love?  
  
Aeka. He never quite accepted the revelation that he was  
Juraian royalty, and somehow never quite could see how he  
could possibly match up with her. Aeka did not seem to mind,  
but then again her husband was fated to be king of Jurai, a  
position Tenchi was only too aware he could not fill. Not  
because of his birth, though, but he just was not suited to be a  
king.  
  
Ryoko. She had made it painfully obvious that he was hers. Yet,  
he was quite certain he could never live up to her expectations,  
to travel with her all through space and thoroughly enjoy it. She  
may be only a space pirate, but if he accepted her love, it was  
only right that she got the man she wanted. Yet Tenchi knew he  
belonged here on Earth, and would wind up short changing  
Ryoko.  
  
He sighed. He *was* quite unworthy.  
  
Did he show them he loved them?  
  
No. And he knew why he did not dare. He was afraid, the other  
one would not be able to take it, then he'd lose one of them. He  
could not bear that…  
  
Which brought him to the question he most dreaded - who to  
choose?  
  
Who would he leave, breaking her heart and dignity and pride,  
free to choose a worthier man?  
  
Who would he choose, and chain forever to an wretch, too petty  
to give something up for her?  
  
Bewildered, he could only sink his face into his hands.  
  
"Oh, hi Tenchi!" Mihoshi sang out, before Kiyone could stop  
her.  
  
"Quiet!" she hissed. "Why don't you go see what's on TV?"  
  
"Urm, okay." Gingerly, Mihoshi made her way over and plonked  
down beside Ryoko.  
  
'I really must get a device that will ring every time Kiyone and  
Mihoshi visit.' Tenchi's mind momentarily got drawn off its  
sombre topic.  
  
Softly stepping by Tenchi, Kiyone asked softly, "Tenchi, it's  
about Aeka and Ryoko, right?"  
  
Tenchi, face still buried in his hands, nodded imperceptibly.  
  
"I don't have much experience in this, but I think you're awfully  
spoilt for choice."  
  
"That's the problem! They're too good for me!" an almost  
inaudible whisper, almost a sob.  
  
"Think more highly of yourself, Tenchi! Who defeated Kagato?"  
  
"I did, I guess."  
  
"And I'm sure you do love them."  
  
Another nod, but much more obvious.  
  
"Then show it to them!"  
  
"My hands are tied, Kiyone. Love one and lose the other. Love  
both and have them blow up the place." Tenchi's voice seemed  
to break.  
  
"It's your choice, then, I guess."  
  
Silence.  
  
"Humans aren't made of stone. I learnt that today, Tenchi. It  
must hurt them deeply that you not respond."  
  
Still silence.  
  
"Love them or lose them."  
  
Kiyone left to sit beside Aeka, near Mihoshi, thankful that neither  
Ryoko nor Aeka had interrupted her.  
  
After a while, Kiyone felt Aeka gently nudge her wrist. Turning to  
the princess, she saw an apologetic and somewhat grateful  
face.  
  
"I'm sorry about yesterday afternoon, Kiyone. I wasn't quite  
myself, you know how it is."  
  
Kiyone did not really, but after the experience at Mos, she was  
not so sure. "Don't be too wild over Tenchi. He doesn't like it."   
  
"But, Ryoko will…! Never mind. Tenchi needs time to make up  
his mind, then he will understand that the only one for him is me.  
I know you mean well, Kiyone, but I would prefer it if you would  
not cause Tenchi so much… pain. He needs time, to see within  
him." Kiyone saw Aeka almost wince as she said the word  
'time'.  
  
"Every second cuts deeply into both of you, princess."  
  
"Perhaps, but I am a princess, I can take it." A slight glimmer  
rose in Aeka's eye, then hardened. "But as for Ryoko, that is her  
problem."  
  
"As you wish, your Highness." Kiyone reclined back into the  
couch.  
  
Before long, Sasami came out of the kitchen to join them.  
  
"Sasami! Would you like to sit here?" Ryoko floated up,  
beckoning to the little princess.  
  
"Sure, Ryoko! Gee, thanks," she settled down by Mihoshi as the  
pirate vanished.  
  
A little while later, Kiyone heard Ryoko's voice whisper by her  
ear.  
  
"Psssst! Detective! I'd like a word with you!"   
  
Kiyone just managed not to jump up in shock. Ryoko's mouth  
had phased through the wall just behind Kiyone's ear.  
  
"I'm all ears."  
  
"The door to the women's bath."  
  
Kiyone quickly excused herself, saying she had to go to the  
bathroom, and proceeded up to the door. As she walked up she  
wondered if she had been that indiscreet. She thought neither  
Ryoko nor Aeka would notice. Seemed otherwise, though.   
  
Ryoko stood before the bathroom, just beside the wall that  
could change into the dimensional portal leading to Kiyone and  
Mihoshi's apartment.   
  
"Look, Kiyone, about yesterday afternoon, forget that, OK?"  
  
"I've never remembered it in the first place." Well, at least not the  
way Ryoko means.  
  
"I know…" Ryoko said rather lamely. "It's just that Tenchi  
means that much to me."  
  
"I sorta figured that out myself already." Kiyone pointed out.  
  
"Tenchi, is… a little baka at times. He does love me, I'm sure of it,  
but he's so well, shy. I know you meant well just now, but don't  
force his hand, Kiyone. Tenchi isn't very decisive sometimes,  
and I like things the way they are, with the exception of Aeka  
interrupting."  
  
"Not if they stay the way they are for another three or four  
months."   
  
"It might be painful, a little, now," Ryoko said, sagging back on  
the door, and only Mihoshi could fail to see that her 'a little'  
obviously was not that little. "He doesn't seem to care, but he  
does. And in the end I'm sure it will work out fine for me, and  
then…" Ryoko hugged herself a little, trying, and succeeding at  
stopping her tears, "It will be worth it. Worth the pain and the  
wait."  
  
Kiyone was not looking at Ryoko, but had turned away.  
  
That thought is the only thing keeping Ryoko and Aeka alive.  
Tenchi was right. To choose one would be to obliterate the  
other.   
  
"Ryoko, what if…" Kiyone wanted ask if Tenchi chose Aeka, but  
she stopped. "Tenchi never responds." That meant about the  
same thing, though it implied Tenchi was shy.  
  
Ryoko's eyes burned at Kiyone, angry at her for implying what  
she did, and sparks crackled on her hands, before her fury died.  
  
"I'll wait. I'll have forever. I'll wait," softly, hesitantly.  
  
Or die in the attempt, Kiyone wanted to add.  
  
Then Ryoko's voice became strong. "But I'm sure he will react,  
he's human." Almost a growl. "He will, I'm sure of it."  
  
And she was gone.  
  
Kiyone breathed a sigh of relief and sagged against the wall.  
Ryoko's emotions were intense, and she could feel herself  
almost being led on by the pirate she had once tried to arrest.  
  
Aeka was much more reserved, but even then Kiyone could  
sense what she went through was by no means insignificant  
compared to Ryoko's pain.  
  
And they both hid it so well from Tenchi.  
  
They would willingly go through emotional hell rather than  
upset Tenchi.  
  
Did they know? She wondered.  
  
Tenchi has only an inkling of their agony, but did they know his  
love for both of them prevented him from responding, and as  
long as he loved them, he would not dare reciprocate?  
  
Kiyone resolutely picked herself off the wall, feeling almost like a  
fly peeling itself off.  
  
Matters of the heart are so complicated. And not concerning me  
at all.  
  
Coolly and naturally, she went back downstairs and…  
  
"Huh?" The TV was off, the living room was empty.  
  
"They went into the Karaoke room." Someone added behind  
her. Nobuyuki had specially installed a side extension room as  
the Karaoke room since they returned from Jurai.  
  
"Oh they did, did they? Thanks, Washu," Kiyone murmured.  
  
"No problem," Washu turned back to her lab.  
  
That's strange, Washu usually liked a turn at the microphone  
herself.  
  
"Oh, one more thing, Kiyone." Washu stopped at the door to her  
lab. "When did you become so nosy?" Seemed that everyone  
had noticed Kiyone's attempt at prodding Tenchi into action.  
  
"I was just trying to help," Kiyone replied, trying not to seem  
annoyed. Mihoshi had once told her how adorable Ryoko and  
Aeka were as Kappa. "And I was concerned."  
  
"Well, you don't usually take an interest in these things.  
Something must have happened to you, Kiyone."  
  
"Is there?" she laughed weakly, but too late, the red had already  
leapt onto her cheeks.  
  
"Tsk, tsk. Girls nowadays." Washu waved a finger at her,  
opened the door to the lab and was disappeared into the  
depths.  
  
Washu was right. Why the sudden interest? Kiyone settled on  
the couch, all by herself, and tried to do some soul searching.  
  
She wanted to see how it would be like. She wanted to know  
more about how Tenchi, Ryoko and Aeka felt, because she  
wanted to prepare herself for it. To know more, to fill her  
inadequacy in this area. Yet if the three were anybody to go by,  
she would not be able to prepare herself for it.  
  
Boyfriends were something Kiyone had lived without for most  
of her life. She still remembered when Mihoshi first got, well, hurt  
(to put it very mildly), how Kiyone had spent weeks, maybe  
months, trying to get her out of the depression induced by some  
heartless cad.  
  
"But I was so sure he loved me!" Mihoshi had cried her heart  
out, until Kiyone finally gave her a new cry to take up.  
  
"Look, Mihoshi, we're in this GP Academy so we can be GP  
officers, and neither of us will settle for any less than that."  
  
Mihoshi had looked blankly at her.  
  
"Mihoshi, we are Galaxy Police personnel. We have a job to  
learn, and nothing shall stand in our way."  
  
The tactic finally brought Mihoshi back to operational status  
again, at least if the daily blundering blonde could ever be called  
'operational'. Mihoshi had remembered the thought and held on  
to it, hence the cry, "We are Galaxy Police Officers, danger is our  
business!" which could still snap the blonde out of any  
distractions from her work, not that it helped her work very  
much.  
  
As for Kiyone herself, she learnt a very important lesson. She  
still remembered telling herself, "I will never let that happen to  
me, I swear." And so she learnt to live with men, as colleagues,  
peers, occasionally a friend, but never more than that. There  
were people she might have chosen, but to look into their eyes  
and see the flaming, vagrant desire and lust was something that  
turned her off. She was Kiyone, she was a woman, she was NOT  
someone who could be laid around and forgotten.  
  
As she recalled the days' events, she was surprised to note her  
mind hardly focused on the attempted robbery, but rather on  
him…  
  
Why AM I thinking about him!?  
  
You're just grateful…  
  
Kiyone would have liked very much to believe that, but no, it  
didn't make sense. One did not usually lay more import on the  
person than on the event itself.  
  
Well, so you like him then…  
  
No I don't!!  
  
Oh? Kiyone could have sworn something was laughing at her  
through her own sarcasm.  
  
He… well, he was… different. Since Mihoshi's first mistake, I  
have always prided myself on reading people accurately, and  
what I saw could hardly be mistaken or feigned, unless he had  
mistaken me for someone else.  
  
Oh, how fortunate that someone else is…  
  
Kiyone shook her head and consigned that thought to oblivion.   
  
He looks at me as though I were something like a friend, yet  
more than that. Like he found in me someone he could trust in  
and respect. As though he would miss me if I were not by his  
side, and without which me he would find life empty, like I was  
someone he needed and yearned for…  
  
Was that what love was about? It seemed awfully debilitating  
and weak.  
  
Yet there was something strange about him. His smile, the  
ordinary one he gave her at the counter, fitted in perfectly with  
the face, yet the softer, sweeter one…  
  
Oh, the most tender I've ever seen…  
  
Pipe down!!  
  
Well, whatever it was, that simply did not seem, or even look,  
right. Not that it was feigned, but that it just did not conform to  
the lines of his face.  
  
She recalled how he had continually kept his gaze away from  
her own.  
  
He was holding back something, and somehow, he was  
frightened, afraid. Of me, and also, of himself.  
  
Was he more than what he seemed?  
  
I don't know…   
  
And the strangest thing was how he looked at Kiyone and  
Mihoshi, like he had known them for quite a while already. He  
saw through how they would react, how they would think, how  
they lived with each other. Though he was a stranger, Kiyone  
could tell, in that simple thumbs up he gave her, he somehow  
saw more in her, took more pride in her, than anyone else she  
knew, even more than Tenchi or Sasami or Mihoshi or the rest,  
with whom she had rode the storm that had came with Kagato  
usurping the Juraian throne.  
  
How could one love an alien thing like one had grown up with  
it?  
  
I'm letting herself be led on by imagination, was Kiyone's  
instinctual thought.  
  
No. Kiyone was a detective, she had had to solve crimes, to tell  
which was the immediate conclusion and which was an  
assumption born of imagination, and this was definitely *not*  
imagination. Not just the way he looked at her as he spoke her  
name or when he was sneaking a look at her while she was  
berating Mihoshi, but even his expression as he turned to face  
Mihoshi, aglow with that detached affection just like what Tenchi  
showed to Mihoshi, almost like she were a sister…  
  
Affection nevertheless.  
  
Almost angrily, Kiyone killed off the impulse.  
  
"Oh, Kiyone, there you are!"  
  
Kiyone spun around, just managing to cover up the guilty  
expression on her face, and saw Sasami with Mihoshi beside  
her.  
  
"Aren't you coming to sing?" Mihoshi added. "I love it when you  
do the…"  
  
"Not tonight, Mihoshi," Kiyone spoke, weakly. Hell, it was  
mentally draining to think about those things. "Go ahead, don't  
worry about me."  
  
"What's wrong with you, Kiyone?" Sasami asked.  
  
"Must be all the action earlier…" she smiled weakly.  
  
"Come on, Kiyone," Mihoshi tried to pull her up. "At least one.  
I've been telling them all about you and Tenchi said you simply  
had to go tell him about it."  
  
Probably because he found it a little hard to believe you, part of  
Kiyone's mind answered cynically.  
  
"Okay, Mihoshi." The green-haired detective weakly got up and  
followed them into the dark room.  
  
The room was built in memory of where they were when they  
first sung Karaoke. Pictures of stars dappled some of the walls,  
and other glow-in-the-dark stars were attached to the ceiling, so  
they would glow when the light went out. The first time Kiyone  
came in, she was forced to admit Nobuyuki did have some  
artistic talent, though it was actually Ryoko who had suggested  
the idea.  
  
Ryoko had just finished another throaty, sultry number, which  
Kiyone noted was sung at expense to Aeka's pleasure and  
Tenchi's propriety.  
  
"Thank you, thank you." The pirate was bowing to applause, as  
her yellow eyes flecked with pleasure at the Tenchi's response,  
with sweat forming on his brow.  
  
"Yes, that was quite enough, thank you." Aeka added tartly.  
  
Tenchi clapped rather stiffly. Ryoko appeared before him and  
hugged him.  
  
"You liked that, didn't you, Tenchi, hmmm?" bringing her lips  
close to his.  
  
"Hey Ryoko, they're watching!" Tenchi flailed helplessly as  
anger streamed out, almost palpable, from the older princess.  
  
As another typical scene was about to play out, Sasami quickly  
nudged Kiyone.  
  
"Quick, pick a song! Before they fight!"  
  
Kiyone, not fancying Ryoko's repertoire, just reached out and  
picked a disc from Nobuyuki's collection, quickly slid it in, and  
pressed 'RANDOM'.  
  
Everyone stopped and stared as the title of a love song played  
out, and everyone, except Mihoshi, half-expected Kiyone to  
switch to another song. But she did not.  
  
Kiyone embarked on a soulful rendition on the many pains and  
joys of love, while everyone listened, entranced and enchanted.  
  
For long minutes, Kiyone felt like she had opened a door to  
world where it was no longer the law against the criminals, the  
white against the black. It was soulful, vibrant, with myriad  
colours of moods, of up and down swings, where the world was  
lost in a blur of wonder and pain.  
  
Then it closed, and Kiyone tried to reach back in, but the track  
was at its end, and the magic concluded. Silence, for a moment,  
with only the stars (the plastic, glow-in-the-dark ones) staring  
down at Kiyone. Then thunderous applause.  
  
"Kiyone, you were great!" Ryoko cried. "I should have thought  
of doing that song for Tenchi."  
  
"I never even knew it existed, or I would have chosen it." Aeka  
commented, more reserved. "You do have excellent taste,  
Kiyone."  
  
"Kiyone, it almost seemed like you lived it all, and you meant  
every word you said," Sasami congratulated.  
  
"You were so good, Kiyone! Pick another!" Mihoshi added.  
  
Tenchi seemed to want to say something, and thought better of  
it.  
  
"I'm tired," Kiyone said. "Besides, I've never heard that song  
before in my entire life." The words just seemed to flow in with  
the tune, she thought. "Let's go home, Mihoshi."  
  
"But…"  
  
"Hey," Sasami said, "The two of you haven't eaten the dinner I  
kept for you, you know!"  
  
"Oh, yeah," Kiyone said. "Guess, I must have forgotten. We took  
a snack today, you see…"  
  
Vivid images arose in her mind. She could almost see his odd  
smile, feel again the surprised pleasure of seeing an umbrella  
hanging outside the door, with the fries inside…  
  
"Well, if you don't eat it, who will?" Sasami added.  
  
"Okay, we'll stay for supper."  
  
"Right, I'll go get it!" Before Kiyone could stop her, the little  
princess was out of the door.  
  
"Kiyone, do sing once more! Please…" Mihoshi begged with her  
hands clasped.  
  
"I'm sorry, Mihoshi, but I'm just too tired." Kiyone sat on one of  
the couches in the small room, beside Ryoko, who made space  
for her and took the chance to cuddle up against Tenchi, as  
Aeka went up for the next song.  
  
Tenchi shot her a curious look. "You know, Mihoshi was telling  
us just now about…"  
  
"Please, Tenchi, give me a break. Some other time, okay? "  
  
====================================  
  
The moonlight shone on him as he settled comfortably onto the  
bench, watching, waiting. On the road opposite him, the  
apartment was dark and empty, though he was absolutely  
certain he had seen the two ladies enter it.   
  
Could it be they had retired immediately upon entering, without  
bothering with the lights?  
  
Curiosity finally took hold of him, and he got up, putting aside  
the newspaper. Swiftly he approached the building from the  
right, until he came to a drainpipe. Scaling it with catlike agility,  
he reached the roof in seconds and went all the way until he  
was on top of her apartment. Listening for a moment to make  
sure there was no sound coming from the apartment, he went  
over the edge and dropped lightly to his feet, landing on the thin  
window ledge. After some work, he carefully opened the  
window and entered, sitting on the edge, facing inwards, so he  
could back flip out, and use his feet to close the window if he  
needed to.  
  
Hmm, it was empty. For a moment he considered going in to  
hunt down more photographs.  
  
No, that would be a violation of their privacy.  
  
An eyebrow arched up in surprise at the thought.  
  
When did I ever bother with that…?  
  
That doesn't matter. I won't enter unless I *know* for sure.   
  
From here he could see, across the apartment, the door by  
which they entered. Beside it was a chair, and on it an umbrella,  
and an empty paper packet that might once have held fries. And  
he knew, without a glimmer of doubt, they were those he had  
given her.  
  
She feels. She does feel.  
  
He felt a warm, effusive glow within him, as he contemplated  
that fact, chewed on it, absorbed it. Yes, everything about her  
told him she would discard them, especially the empty packet of  
fries. He did not have to check up anything beyond her file to  
guess that he was maybe, just maybe, the first to, well…  
  
He looked at where he was sitting and grinned. Yup, first to  
break in.  
  
Was it wise? He knew her job, and he was only too aware what  
he was.  
  
He had never had much time for women. From dodging and  
evading the countless organisations that hunted him, he always  
kept himself too busy to pick up any personal romance. Lust  
had never been one of his vices, and in his disguises as others,  
he had never wished to risk exposure by showing his sexual  
inexperience.  
  
What was so special about this Kiyone, anyway?  
  
Just a few things, but he knew he did not really care about her  
being Chief Inspector, top of her class, or anything. He knew it  
was not beyond himself to turn down more beautiful, more  
powerful women if he did not feel anything for them, but  
somehow, he felt for her.  
  
Was it her smile? Nope.  
  
It was… her poise. Her confidence. Her style. And all the other  
things that were uniquely Kiyone.  
  
Frustrated, he knocked himself on the forehead. He was letting  
himself get fuddled up by his emotions, and he had survived so  
long by learning not to.  
  
Oh, Kiyone…  
  
Be alert! He told himself.  
  
Then, in plain sight and right before him, beside the main door,  
he saw another door materialise out of the wall.  
  
"Shit! They'd be able to see me!"  
  
A leap to his feet and he had vanished from the window.  
  
"Hey, what was that?" Kiyone whispered. She thought she just  
saw two shadows disappear over the top of the window directly  
in front of her across the room, and her hand went instinctively  
to her blaster.  
  
"Doesn't seem to be anything." Mihoshi looked around. "Come  
on, Kiyone, you're just tired."  
  
Kiyone ignored her and walked over into the room, blaster at the  
ready. Opening the window, then looking up and out of it,  
blaster before her, Kiyone saw...  
  
The eaves of the roof.  
  
"I guess you're right, Mihoshi." She relaxed a little as she looked  
back in at Mihoshi staring in concern at her. "Let's go to sleep."  
  
On the roof, someone cursed his own stupidity.  
  
I forgot. They know Washu.  
  
A little later, Mihoshi was asleep, her breathing gentle and  
regular. Beside her was Kiyone, tired, but nevertheless more or  
less wide awake.  
  
What am I doing awake?  
  
It's about him, isn't it? She wearily asked herself. She tried to  
imagine she was someone else.  
  
Do you love him?  
  
No. Maybe. But he is just a stranger, I must get to know him  
better first.  
  
Are you sure about this?  
  
Well, he just sort of feels special, different.  
  
Oh, so you're after him because of that?  
  
No, it's just that…  
  
Well, whoever he is, he's gone. If you're lucky, you'll see him  
tomorrow at Mos, if not, too bad. He's just an earthling, and he  
may mean well, but he…  
  
He is more than what he seemed, I thought I already figured that  
out.  
  
The shadow…  
  
It could be your imagination.  
  
Well, my training as Galaxy Police Officer tells me it is better to  
be cautious.  
  
Silently, Kiyone stuffed a pillow in substitution of her leg, which  
would be visible from the window. Forcing herself to be slow  
and careful, she pulled herself out of her futon, taking care that  
the lower half of it not move the slightest, while her right hand  
held on to the blaster which she always placed by her futon  
when she slept. Slowly, silently, she crept towards the room,  
and before long she was just by the door to the room. Bracing  
herself, she dived before the door, sideways, blaster ready…  
  
"Kiyone?"   
  
Her heart skipped a beat. His voice.  
  
No, this voice was somewhat younger.  
  
A silhouette was seated on the window sill, with feet dangling  
down into the room.  
  
"Who are you?" She said as she sprang up, her blaster still  
ready to fire.   
  
In the darkness, there was no way she could have seen that  
hollow and yet hopeful expression on his face.  
  
"Trust me."   
  
She beheld a black-gloved hand move, a little, releasing a blur of  
silver that arced towards her shoulder and head.  
  
It's going to hit me!  
  
Trust him.  
  
But …  
  
Remember he helped Mihoshi back there.  
  
For a horrible moment, she thought she was going to give in to  
her GP instincts to fire and dodge, but she gritted her teeth and  
through pure will, just managed not to.  
  
The projectile hit something just beside her shoulder, there was  
a click, and a split second later the black gloved hand caught  
the silver arc. Then the room was bathed in light.  
  
He was clean shaven, with a smooth complexion, dressed in a  
white shirt and light blue trousers. His arms were lean and well  
muscled, with light beige skin, similar to hers. While his hair was  
black, it was not combed neatly, but had a somewhat roguish  
hair that had a bold fringe with centre parting that came down to  
around his shoulder level, and two long sideburns that reached  
down just below his collarbones. The forehead was the same,  
along with the cheekbones and chin, but this person was clearly  
at least five years younger than the one she had met in the  
afternoon. Strangest of all, his gloved hands were empty.  
  
Then his intense blue eyes locked with Kiyone's green ones,  
and his lips curved ever so slightly up into that sweet, youthful  
smile.  
  
It *was* him.  
  
Apology and regret, thankfulness and joy, nervousness and  
anticipation, all these emotions she could read in his eyes. She  
knew too, he was reading hers, full of shock, surprise,  
bewilderment, but at the same time happiness, and in a certain  
way, trust…  
  
They both closed their eyes.  
  
"Thank you." His voice was soft, tender, and apologetic. "It  
couldn't have been easy."  
  
"It *wasn't*." Kiyone opened her eyes, and looked at him. His  
head was bowed slightly, then his eyes opened, but though  
they looked at her, they did not make direct contact. "But it must  
have been difficult for you, to have a blaster trained on you,  
too." She simply had to admire the way he broke in and just as  
quickly created a feeling of mutual trust for both parties.  
  
"I'm sorry. This is not a good time or place." He raised his face  
and looked at her.  
  
Something about him was familiar, like Kiyone had seen him  
once, a long, long time ago, but she could not recall. "You  
couldn't help it, could you?" Kiyone asked, finally lowering her  
blaster. She suddenly realised she was in her light green  
pyjamas, and a blush started to rise, but somehow, she felt both  
things were fine by her.  
  
"Yes." His face was calm, and somehow sad, as he pulled off his  
gloves, to reveal fingers both strong yet supple. "Why *did* you  
trust me?"  
  
There was a tense silence. "You helped me, earlier. I owe you  
that, at least."  
  
"You? Owe me?"  
  
"Well, at least Mihoshi, then." She didn't find herself very  
convincing.  
  
"Really…?" Nor did he, it seemed, but she wasn't sure if the  
hopefulness in his voice was for real or just a figment of her  
wishful thinking.  
  
"I'm… not sure…" Kiyone found herself backing away, both  
from without and within, then just as quickly recovered herself.  
"Who are you?" Kiyone asked, raising her eyes to meet his, and  
suddenly she was not sure she wanted to know.  
  
He looked sadly at her, his expression thoughtful and  
questioning. "Do you really want to know?"  
  
The night sky was behind him, and through the gap between his  
head and the window frame she could see the moon hanging,  
cold, somber and detached, even as his hair stirred in the night  
breeze. His brow was clouded with worry, and his blue eyes  
seemed to reflect her own stormy emotions.  
  
"If you really want to know, I couldn't lie to you."  
  
"I…" Kiyone thought about it. "Guess I don't really want to  
know…"  
  
He arched an eyebrow, almost in surprise.  
  
"Yet." Kiyone finished, beginning to feel happy, inane though it  
was..  
  
"That's more like you."  
  
Kiyone tried to fight down the feeling that he had known her all  
her life.  
  
"But I'd like to know what to call you," she added, and finally  
smiled back.  
  
"You look wonderful like that, Kiyone."  
  
"Thank you," she just resisted the impulse to bow. "Mister…?"  
A reminder.  
  
"Kova, Kiyone… -chan?"  
  
Kiyone felt her cheeks burn again and resisted the impulse to  
laugh. "Sure, you can call me anything you want, Kova."  
  
"I understand that means you need to know me better first."  
  
Kiyone knew that meant he had noticed how she did not  
address him fondly too. "I'm sorry, but even if I'm a little  
attracted to you," he arched his brow and grinned as she said 'a  
little' "but you're still, well…"  
  
"A stranger?" He seemed to want to laugh, and Kiyone found  
the prospect rather delightful.  
  
"Well, I…" she tried to think, but couldn't, because he was on  
the verge of laughing and seemed ever so... "Why don't you go  
ahead and laugh, you!"  
  
"Is that a special request?"  
  
"Maybe." Kiyone tried to look imperious, like Aeka, raising her  
chin up.  
  
Kova burst out laughing, and Kiyone could not, or did not, stop  
her smile from broadening widely.   
  
"Hmmm…" Mihoshi's voice from outside.  
  
"Oh no!" Kiyone's hand went for the light switch, as the laughter  
ceased and the shadow back flipped out the window. The lights  
went out, and slowly, Kiyone walked out of the room, only to  
find Mihoshi fast asleep.  
  
"Humph." She looked at the peacefully slumbering form. "It's all  
your fault again."  
  
"What is?" A whispered voice by her ear.  
  
"Hey! That gave me a fright, you know!" she turned to face the  
now mildly amused man, just a shadow now in the darkness,  
moving away.  
  
"A little surprise is good once in a while. And anyway, I like the  
darkness, it suits me better." A pause. "Though I miss seeing  
your face."  
  
"Stop flattering me," Kiyone walked beside him, trying to get  
further from Mihoshi in case they really woke her up, and not  
really meaning what she just said. "Where were we?"  
  
"In your apartment, in the dark, just the two of us." His white  
teeth showed as he grinned.  
  
"Hey, watch it, buster! I'm armed, you know. Anyway, what did  
we last talk about?"  
  
"Let's see now, I believe it was about I am a stranger to you."  
  
A painful pause. "That was not what I meant." Kiyone's voice  
was cold, hurt.  
  
"I know." His voice was sincere.  
  
Kiyone half expected him to put an arm around her, pull her  
close and start to kiss her, as she had seen many hot-blooded  
males do on TV, but he didn't even touch her. "It's just that I  
don't know you that well yet."  
  
"I understand. Where shall we meet, tomorrow?"  
  
"I expect…"  
  
"How about near Hurashi Construction Enterprises, where  
you're working in the morning? Send Mihoshi off for lunch first,  
make an excuse to stay out…?"  
  
"No problem." She turned to look at his face, and the blue eyes  
that seemed to gleam in the darkness. "Say, how come you  
know so much?"  
  
"Let's save that for tomorrow, shall we?" A mischievous smile.  
  
"Now wait a minute…"  
  
"Hush," she felt a finger being placed before her lips as he  
turned to face her. "The night grows deep. You need to work  
tomorrow. See you at twelve." She felt him gently run his fingers  
through the front of her hair, before her headband, his lips  
brush gently brush her cheeks. "Good night, Kiyone-chan."  
  
One last glimpse of his clear, loving blue eyes, then his form  
sped away from her, leaving her hand reaching up to the cheek  
where his lips had touched her, her face burning red.  
  
Kiyone sighed, then walked slowly back to Mihoshi, acutely  
aware how alone she was. Passing the room, she did not have  
to look to know the window was closed and probably fastened.  
  
Lying back in the futon, she tried hard to steer her thoughts  
away from Kova and get to sleep. And she eventually did the  
latter, though she did dream of him.  
  
====================================  
  
High up in space, a spacecraft was travelling towards the Solar  
System. It was a light red ship, but the similarity with the Yagami  
ended there. The Comet had a ring of metal about it, and was  
shaped a little like Ryo-oh-ki, with tall spires of the fortress like  
structure sticking out of both the bottom and top of the ring, and  
was at least twice the size of the Yagami. Lasers and cannons  
protruded out of the thick armour plating, and though this  
particular ship was noted for its speed, it, like other SSS ships, it  
was outfitted for war.  
  
"Destination, Solar System. ETA 5 minutes."  
  
"Now, what are your missions?"  
  
The first one stepped forward. "Prototype code name Terminus,  
model TX-Cam. Locate and secure the Tachyon Ray, or a similar  
emitting device. Suggested start - keep tight surveillance on  
Professor Washu. Find the spy or his ship."  
  
The second one. "Prototype code name Satellite, model  
TL-Cam. Locate and maintain surveillance over Princesses  
Aeka, Sasami and Prince Yosho. If possible, capture one or all of  
them."  
  
The third and fourth one. "Prototypes code names Stellar and  
Solar, models SL-cam. To stay in orbit in readiness to assist  
Terminus or Satellite. Current assignment, Stellar to assist  
Terminus, Solar to Satellite. Also to act as transmitter of data  
back to ship Comet."  
  
"Very well. My code name is Overlord, overseer of this  
operation. Proceed."  
  
Five minutes later, two smaller space craft left the Comet, and  
sped toward the Earth.  
  
====================================  
  
Well, that settled that.  
  
He was shrouded once again in the darkness he felt so  
comfortable in, but a new companion followed him - loneliness.  
He had always been alone, and thought it was his fate, until  
now…  
  
He was a creature of darkness, she, of light. He had no doubt  
that for her, he could utterly renounce the darkness, but would  
she accept him? Would the light continue to burn, to sting, and  
to blind him? Would the darkness reach out its hungry tendrils  
to drag him back into its abyss?  
  
He did not know.  
  
He heard the sounds of footsteps approaching, heavy,  
stumbling ones, accompanied by loud and raucous voices,  
moving into the alley, but he ignored them. Here, on this planet,  
almost nothing could remotely threaten him, and so he  
remained perfectly still, and continued thinking.  
  
"Ooof!" Someone bumped into his outstretched legs, and fell  
over. The reek of alcohol assailed his nostrils and he restrained  
his natural reaction to strike the man a fatal backhand blow to  
the neck.  
  
I must change myself if I am to reach for her. From darkness to  
light.  
  
He watched the man clumsily get up on his feet, as voices  
sounded from all around the outside.  
  
"Hey, big brother, what happened?" A swarthy man ran to the  
fallen one, helping him up.  
  
"I tripped… Hey, there's a bastard sitting here who did it to me!"  
  
Not bothering to look up, he just said, "Sorry."  
  
That's an improvement too. Can't remember when I last said that  
when I felt I was in the right.  
  
"What the hell you think you doing, ****er?" The half-drunk  
ruffian reached for Kova's throat, but Kova calmly stopped his  
fist with his hand and shoved it back.  
  
"I was sitting here. And please, keep your hands to yourself."  
  
"And who do you think you are, big guy?" Waving his hand, his  
men moved in. "This bastard is looking for a good hiding. Let's  
do him a favour, boys." With a drunken cheer, the men rushed  
in, fists clenched, some holding broken beer bottles.  
  
A silver blur cut through the alley and sliced through the press  
of bodies.  
  
Silence, as Kova caught the rod and kept it. Getting to his feet,  
he carefully picked his way over the fallen bodies, and for a brief  
moment, his thoughts wandered from Kiyone.  
  
I could have killed you all. That you're only unconscious is  
something you owe her.  
  
His thoughts returned to his encounter in her apartment. That  
had gone better than he dared to dreamed of, but in retrospect,  
he almost rather he had been mercifully blasted out of the  
window. In fact, now that he was thinking of it he realised he had  
almost looked forward to, even invited, the prospect. *That*  
would have ended it, though it would only hurt him badly, what  
with his speed, dexterity and endurance enhancements to his  
body during his stint at the Science Academy.  
  
As it was, he had got a date instead, and even got to kiss her  
(sort of), which was all so marvellously beyond his expectations  
that he had almost whooped for joy. Yet the dull ache deep  
within him gave him misgivings, told him he was only preparing  
for himself a heart-wrenching, maybe even deadly, torture. It  
might be great, wonderful, fabulous, even exquisite, but torture  
nevertheless.  
  
And was it even right to subject her to such torment? To dangle  
the prospect of happiness with him tantalisingly before her,  
when he knew she could never attain it?  
  
His mind reeled in his mental dilemma, he cursed himself for the  
folly of making that decision on board the Yagami. He could  
almost see the cage he had drawn up around himself and  
Kiyone, feel the burning metal bars constrict and tighten.  
  
NO!  
  
His blue eyes gleamed, piercing the fabric of the night.  
  
I have faced overwhelming odds in my life, and have risen to  
overcome them. I have fought for my life and freedom with  
cunning and deception, wearing false faces and gleaning  
forbidden knowledge. I have beaten the greatest minds in the  
universe, from the Juraian Council to the Syndicate Circle, from  
the GP High Command to the Science Academy Faculty, even  
the great Washu herself (Washu would have taken an instant  
liking to him if only she had read his mind at this moment ^_^) to  
become what I am. I *will* fight for the future she and I will share  
together!  
  
But how? The realm of heart is one I am alien to, a mystery I  
never needed to solve, to unravel, to concern myself with. Yet  
now, before I knew it, I have wandered far into its halls, to be  
mired in its depths and lost in its mazes.  
  
He felt his will weaken, crumbling.  
  
Kiyone is in here, somewhere, with me.   
  
I may forsake my emotions, but I will *never* forsake hers!  
  
He would have to find a way, to give his best. Love would.  
  
=== End of Chapter ===  
  
NOTES:  
Kova is in a way, an SIed character. Pls include him in your  
comments, whether I have portrayed him as a person, as a friend  
or foe, as one of the gang, and most importantly, as a human being.  
  
I hope you have enjoyed this Fanfic as much as I have typing it.  
If there are any more grammar errors, I beg your forgiveness, as  
my sole proofreader is myself.  
  
This is my first FF, so go ahead and mail me at zyraen@yahoo.com  
with comments, especially on character portrayal, realism. 


	3. No Need for Lunch

Disclaimer :  
Most characters in this story are property of AIC and Pioneer.  
They are in such a situation solely because of my imagination.  
This story was written purely for fun.  
  
This FF is based on the TV Series, with some powers drawn over  
from the OAV, but with no Light Hawk Wings.  
  
This story contains no sex, so please do not expect it.  
  
Before I wrote this Fanfic, I have only read 2 Fanfics, Aikan  
Muyo and To Love & To Hate. Since then I have read some others,  
and have noted some writers have a tendency to portray some  
characters inaccurately. I hope I have not fallen into that trap.  
  
That's about it, I'm a simple soul at heart...  
  
  
DARKNESS & LIGHT - No Need For Kova  
  
By Zyraen  
  
Chapter III : No Need for Lunch  
  
Beep beep, beep beep.   
  
"Huh, what?" Kiyone, groggy and half awake, reached about,  
systematically switching off both alarm clocks.  
  
Beep beep, beep beep.   
  
"Where's that sound coming from?"  
  
Beep beep, beep beep.  
  
Her GP alert ring…  
  
Kiyone was suddenly wide awake.  
  
"Wake up, Mihoshi!" She cried as she shook her partner as hard  
as she could.  
  
"Mmmm.." Mihoshi gave a smile, turned away and snuggled up  
deeper into her futon.  
  
"Aargh! Wake up, Mihoshi!!" Kiyone's blonde partner did not  
move. "MIHOSHI!"  
  
Somehow, eventually, they got to the Yagami. Precisely how she  
got Mihoshi up was not something Kiyone wanted particularly  
to remember.  
  
The Yagami's engines roared to life and the ship took off into  
space.  
  
Just as the Yagami vanished, two light red spacecraft, each one  
half the size of the Yagami, entered the Earth's orbit.  
  
After the two GP officers had travelled for a bit, did their ship  
finally get close enough for direct transmission with the ship  
sending out the distress signal. Kiyone sighed as a small man's  
flustered face appeared on the screen.  
  
"Oh, resident officers! I am so glad to see you! My ship got  
knocked by an asteroid, and at first I thought it was okay, but  
then I realised I was running short of fuel, as it had knocked the  
tank, and…"  
  
Kiyone slapped her hand to her forehead. Chief Inspector, 2nd  
Class, and she woke up at four thirty in the morning for *this*?  
"Don't worry, sir, we can handle the situation." The Yagami  
locked on to the source of transmission as on one of Jupiter's  
moons.  
  
"Whew, I'm so glad." The face on the view screen breathed a  
sigh of relief and wiped the sweat accumulating on his forehead  
off.  
  
"Hang on, sir!" Mihoshi added. "First class detectives Mihoshi  
and Kiyone are on their way!"   
  
Kiyone sighed. Mihoshi had never got used their new positions.  
Anyway, it would save them some trouble explaining what two  
2nd Class Chief Inspectors were doing as resident officers here.  
  
As the Yagami sped on to Jupiter, two faintly scarlet colour  
ships rose out of the stratosphere and settled into orbit. A few  
moments later, they turned into satellites.  
  
====================================  
  
"Tenchi, where has your father been lately? I haven't seen him  
around." Katsuhito asked.  
  
"I don't know, grandpa. But he's been coming back *really* late  
these past few days." Tenchi kept his head respectfully faced  
down as he addressed his grandfather. Besides, he had to look  
to see where the leaves were so he could sweep them up.  
  
"This is unlike him. He usually tries to spend more time here  
during your summer vacation." Katsuhito commented. "Did you  
do something to offend him, Tenchi?"  
  
"Well, I…" Tenchi did not think it was really wise to tell his  
grandfather how Aeka and Ryoko had blown up a certain set of  
tapes that Nobuyuki had really loved watching. "Didn't do  
anything. But I think he was missing some episodes of that  
hentai program he was watching…" Tenchi was *really* glad  
they had not blown up the reels of film on Achika though. He  
was not sure how he would take that.  
  
"I see." Katsuhito thought about how Nobuyuki had came to  
him some time ago, and sadly admitted that as long as he,  
Nobuyuki, was around, Tenchi was unlikely to make a move for  
fear of his voyeurism. That could have been the other reason.  
Thinking of such things… "Tenchi, how long more before you  
have to go back to school?"  
  
"Huh? Vacation just started, Grandpa!"  
  
"Well, it will end. I think you should treasure it," Katsuhito sagely  
pointed out, looking past Tenchi to the house.  
  
"Oh well, if you want to. When do you want to practise sword  
fighting?" Tenchi asked, completely missing his grandfather's  
point. Not that it was entirely his fault, as he had been  
conditioned to believe only Nobuyuki stood for that kind of  
thing, while his grandfather stood for the more, well, serene life.  
  
Katsuhito shook his head. "Silly boy!" Ever since Tenchi  
defeated Kagato, Yosho did not see that much need to train his  
grandson, except maybe once in a while, to keep him in shape.  
"Whenever you feel like it, Tenchi, come find me in the shrine  
office." The problem with Tenchi was that he did not seem to be  
able to fight on the spot, he had to have a reason for fighting. He  
would stand no chance against a GP Battlesuit, whereas if he  
were offered a duel for some important reason, say for Aeka's  
freedom, it was clear even men like Kagato would fall before  
him. "As for now, you can do whatever you like."  
  
Tenchi looked, puzzled, at the receding shape of his grandpa's  
back.  
  
I suppose that means I can stop doing this, as he stopped  
sweeping up the leaves and laid the broom down on the shrine  
steps.  
  
Maybe grandpa was referring to something else, he thought.  
What could it be?  
  
Musing to himself, Tenchi proceeded to descend back to the  
house.  
  
"Good morning, Tenchi!" Half way down the stairs, Ryoko  
appeared out of mid air, floating beside him. Tenchi half  
expected her to jump on him, but she made no such move, just  
continued flashing her cheerful expression at him. "How's your  
morning?"   
  
"Fine, Ryoko."  
  
"Washu's here, just like I said she would." Ryoko was glad she  
had found Tenchi. She had searched almost every room in the  
house, plus the carrot fields, the forest. Aeka was out of the way,  
and now she just needed Tenchi to accept her…  
  
"True, but I haven't heard much from Washu since she came.  
She just kinda vanished into her lab."  
  
"Isn't that just like her. If only Aeka would follow suit." Ryoko  
grinned as she floated nearer.  
  
"Hey, Ryoko, don't!"  
  
"Aww, why so shy, Tenchi? Don't you like me anymore?"  
Ryoko teased, her body poised in the air, ready to pounce on  
Tenchi.  
  
"It's not that, just that I don't like it…"  
  
"Tenchiiii! You just haven't been paying enough attention!"  
Ryoko sounded hurt. "Seriously, it can't possibly of be of any  
discomfort!"  
  
Not physically, at least, Tenchi thought to himself.   
  
"But…"  
  
"Come on, won't you just feel me, hmmm?" Tenchi shrank back  
as Ryoko advanced a little closer. "A little hug can't hurt, can it?  
Don't run, just feel it, you'll love it."   
  
Tenchi still looked unmoved.  
  
"Pleeeeaase…?" Ryoko begged, hands clasped, on the verge of  
tears.  
  
Oh well, they were all alone here, no one would see…  
  
"Oh, all right." Ryoko fought the impulse to jump on Tenchi  
immediately. "But just a quick one, okay?"   
  
Ryoko became afire with joy. At last, a small step forward!  
  
"Oh, Tenchi!! You won't regret this!" She forced herself to take  
her time, and managed to throw herself around and on Tenchi  
about half a second later than she otherwise would have, while  
reminding herself not to squeeze him too hard.  
  
Tenchi closed his eyes, and just bathed in Ryoko's love. It felt  
good. She was, well, soft, not squeezing too hard or clinging too  
tenaciously, and no one was watching, and…  
  
I must have been made of stone.  
  
Slowly, gingerly, his arms went around her too.  
  
Ryoko felt his arms encircle her, and was fired into the seventh  
heaven of joy. So this was what it was like to be loved back.  
  
Then, slowly, his hands unwrapped themselves, and he started  
to move a little.  
  
Only heaven knew how much Ryoko wanted to continue  
holding him, but anxious that he become annoyed and not let  
her do this in future, she rather quickly stepped back from him,  
fighting that sharp, stabbing pain in her heart.  
  
Oh come on, Ryoko, she told herself. He's still standing there in  
front of you, just fine.  
  
"That was… rather nice," Tenchi said.  
  
"I have always been this way, Tenchi." Ryoko said, so quietly  
and solemnly Tenchi could not help but look at her in surprise.  
  
"Are… are you all right, Ryoko? Did I hurt you?" Tenchi  
wondered how putting his arms around someone else could  
hurt the person.  
  
"Yes, I'm fine. It's just that, you never wanted to notice how  
good it was to be close to me." She sat down onto the stone  
steps.  
  
Tenchi hung his head, knowing with every fibre of his heart and  
soul that she was speaking the truth. "I'm sorry, but honest, it  
just isn't right, hugging me like that all the time in front of  
everyone."  
  
"It makes me happy," Ryoko defiantly looked him in the eye.  
"And you like it. You just said so."  
  
"Well, it does feel good, but…" Sitting down beside Ryoko,  
Tenchi desperately wracked his brains for a way to put it. "I…  
there are some things you just don't do. Just like not  
interrupting someone when he is eating." He remembered how  
Kiyone challenged Ryoko during her meal.   
  
"I don't care." Ryoko looked stonily at him, then her eyes  
became soft and tender. "I just…" she could not help but feel a  
little nervous about making an open declaration, but she stuck  
with it. "..need to be with you, Tenchi."  
  
"I…" Tenchi's mind filled with confusion and fear. Should he  
admit his own feelings? But what about Aeka? If he said he  
loved Ryoko, would he be deceiving her? "…don't know what to  
say."  
  
"You… don't love me, do you, Tenchi?" The yellow eyes  
pleaded with him, begging him.  
  
"Ryoko…" At a loss for words, all Tenchi could do was put an  
arm around her for an answer. "That's not true. Don't think that  
of me, will you?" He looked deep into her eyes. "Someday, I  
promise you, you will know exactly how much I do."  
  
"Tenchi?" Ryoko was stunned. She felt a warm glow of  
happiness within her, gradually suffusing her body with energy,  
and she treasured the feel of him close her, holding her.  
  
He held her for some minutes, until he was sure she had calmed  
down, then he suddenly gave a bright smile. "But not today,  
Ryoko!" And quickly stood up and hurried down the steps.  
  
Whew, that did it.  
  
"Tenchi!" She leaped up, feigning anger, but not hurt. Tenchi  
was *playing* with her! That was new!  
  
"Oh, and one more thing," He stopped and turned around. "That  
one hug will suffice for the day, won't it?"  
  
Ryoko looked outraged. "No way, Tenchi, that's very unfair to  
me!"  
  
"All right, but only when you find me by myself, okay?" Ryoko  
gave him a *huge* grin, and Tenchi suddenly felt a bead of  
sweat form on his head as he considered what he would be  
facing if he had not thought of the next sentence. "NOT when  
I'm in the bath or toilet!" Ryoko continued grinning madly, and  
Tenchi prayed fervently he had not missed anything.  
  
As Tenchi descended further from her, Ryoko jumped over six  
metres up into the air, gave herself a hug and did a quadruple  
twirl in the air, congratulating herself.  
  
ALL RIGHT! You did it, you pretty devil, you! Hah, Tenchi,  
Tenchi, I'd like to see you get a moment all by yourself again.  
Bwahahaha!  
  
Looking out at the trees, listening to the singing voices of the  
birds, she thought, what a wonderful day it is! Why, she couldn't  
remember a more beautiful morning.  
  
She hugged herself again, gave a hearty laugh, and raced for  
the house.  
  
====================================  
  
Aeka walked out of the shed, worried.  
  
Where was Tenchi? She had not seen him all morning. Maybe  
the shrine…  
  
Of course, that's the only place she hadn't looked!  
  
Not for the first, nor the last time, did Aeka complain to herself  
how unfair things were. Ryoko could go anywhere, she would  
almost definitely find Tenchi first.  
  
Calm yourself. Lord Tenchi certainly will remain true to you.  
  
Still, Aeka's footsteps quickened significantly as she headed for  
the shrine, and before long she saw Tenchi coming down the  
steps.  
  
"Lord Tenchi!!" She cried out, almost breaking into a run, then  
remembering how she must conduct herself, managed to get  
herself to walk over demurely. Well, at least Tenchi was alone.  
  
"Good morning, Aeka." Tenchi seemed almost relieved to see  
her. "Where are you going?"  
  
"I was… going to the shrine, Tenchi." Aeka smiled.  
  
"Oh? Whatever for?" Tenchi suddenly had a feeling of deja vu.   
  
"Why, I was looking for you, to…" Aeka searched quickly. "…eat  
breakfast." She felt a little irritated with herself at neither having  
asked Sasami if he had eaten nor getting some food with her.  
  
"I already have, Aeka," Tenchi began to have creeping doubts.  
Maybe what Kiyone implied was correct. Maybe Aeka and  
Ryoko are one and the same underneath all that. "You needn't  
have gone without breakfast for me, you know, hehehe."  
Nervous laughter was all he could manage.   
  
That didn't come out right at all!! I am supposed to ask her if she  
had eaten!  
  
Why ask something you know the answer to? Tenchi's mind  
retorted.  
  
"Tenchi, did something happen to you?" Aeka looked puzzled,  
at his unusual display of nervousness.  
  
Tenchi stopped, still uncertainly scratching his head. "Oh  
nothing, Aeka, just that Ryoko…"  
  
"What!? What did she do!?" Aeka just managed to stop herself  
from screaming outright.  
  
A bead of sweat formed behind Tenchi's head. Aeka's tone and  
eyes told him in no uncertain terms that if Ryoko had done  
something, she was not going to let her get away with it.  
  
In other words, there would be a fight.  
  
Idiot! Tenchi scolded himself for letting slip her name.  
  
"Don't worry about it, Aeka, it's really nothing." He quickly tried  
to cover up. "Why don't we, erm, go eat breakfast?"  
  
"I thought you already had it," Aeka looked, once again  
unbalanced by Tenchi's odd behaviour.  
  
Well, I let Ryoko hug me, so may as well make Aeka happy too.  
  
"Well, maybe I'll just sit and well… watch you eat," Tenchi  
laughed nervously.  
  
The transformation was astonishing. Aeka just sort of shrank  
back and bloomed, like a flower that moves away bashfully to  
find itself bathed in the sun's glow. Her cheeks filled with colour,  
and already Tenchi could see the joy in her eyes.   
  
Fighting to keep herself from grinning, Aeka managed to smile  
demurely. "Well then, let's proceed, my lord." She took his hand  
and walked with him.  
  
Now that he was actually looking at her, he could see Aeka was  
brimming with joy, at the same time fighting to contain it. He had  
never realised it, never noticed it. How could he have been so  
blind?  
  
It must be hard on her.  
  
"Erm, Aeka," Tenchi ventured cautiously, wondering how to put  
it across.  
  
"Yes, Tenchi?" she spun round, just a little bit faster than was  
appropriate, eyes shining.  
  
"You know, Aeka, you don't need to do that." Well, it was a try.  
  
"Do what, Tenchi?" Aeka saw the meaningful look in his eyes.   
  
He's trying to see you as you are, Aeka!  
  
"I don't know what you mean!" Aeka retorted. Tenchi shrank  
back, surprise showing on his face, searching in her eye for a  
vestige of comprehension. He found none.  
  
Well, what next? He asked himself.  
  
Either she's really clueless, or she's very, very good.  
  
"You know… loosen up, Aeka!" He smiled, though she could  
see the nervousness in him.  
  
"Huh?" Now she really did look lost, and glanced at her dress  
sleeves curiously.  
  
"Oh yeah, I forgot, it's only used in schools here on Earth."   
  
The tension is killing me!  
  
"What is it, then?" Aeka questioned, expressing nothing but  
curiosity. "What does it mean?"  
  
"It…" Now that he was on the point of getting the message  
across, he was completely and utterly tongue-tied.  
  
And just how did you put it across anyway? Be more like  
Ryoko? Flirt with me?  
  
"Show your emotions, Aeka." Well, that was a fair attempt, he  
had to admit.  
  
There was a sharp intake of breath, and her body shook a little.  
Quickly, she averted her eyes, and he caught a tinge of rose on  
her face.  
  
He asked me to love him!  
  
No, he just meant show your emotions!  
  
Aeka was lost in her thoughts for a moment, then she felt a  
quick squeeze on her hand.  
  
"Aeka, are you all right?"  
  
"I'm fine, Tenchi." She said, trying to appear calm, then she  
remembered what Tenchi had said, how he had squeezed her  
hand, and broke into a warm smile.  
  
How long was it since I did this? Aeka thought, as the blissful  
feeling she had long forgotten returned.   
  
Tenchi watched, stunned by her radiant face. "Aeka, you look…  
beautiful."  
  
Yes! At last!  
  
"Do you really think so, Tenchi?" Her eyes shone with delight.  
  
He nodded, stiffly, with something in the back of his mind  
asking, how was this going to end?  
  
"Hey, Aeka, there you are!" A door opened and Sasami popped  
up round its corner. "Where have you been? I've been calling  
for you all this while! Your breakfast will be cold."  
  
"Sasami!" Aeka seemed to growl for an instant at her little sister,  
but then she became apologetic so very quickly Tenchi almost  
thought it was his imagination. "I'm sorry, Sasami. I'll be going in  
soon, only I have something to say to Tenchi now. So if you  
don't mind…" She turned back to Tenchi.  
  
Sasami frowned, annoyed. It was almost as though Aeka had  
said "Shoo, shoo, go away, you dirty little thing," to her, rather  
than to Ryo-oh-ki, who incidentally, was curled up on Sasami's  
head.  
  
Suddenly the cabbit sat upright, nose sniffing curiously at the  
air, before hopping off her perch.  
  
"Hey, Ryo-oh-ki! Where are you going?" Sasami hurried after  
her, and Tenchi, hearing the commotion, turned his face from  
Aeka to look as the dark coloured cabbit bounded away from  
him, before both she and Sasami disappeared around the  
corner of the house.  
  
Aeka ground her teeth. As if Ryoko weren't enough! Now she  
was being foiled by her very own sister and even the adorable  
cabbit!  
  
Then "Oooohh! They're so cute!" A slight hissing, spitting  
sound, and Sasami's voice again. "Now, calm down Ryo-oh-ki,  
let's be nice." She giggled, there was another commotion, and  
then, "Hey wait, don't go! Come back!"  
  
Two tiny kittens ran into Tenchi's line of sight, one black, and  
the other white.  
  
"Oh my," Tenchi heard Aeka gasp. "They *are* cute!"  
  
"Mew," the black one sounded like it was in fright, and quickly  
darted behind Tenchi's leg. The white one dived under Aeka's  
dress. Behind them, the screeching, spitting Ryo-oh-ki came,  
ears upright and fangs bared, with Sasami rushing in behind her  
  
"Ryo-oh-ki!! Stop that! You're scaring them!" She hurried over  
and picked the dark coloured ball of fur by the nape of her neck.  
Ryo-oh-ki continued screeching and spitting, spinning gently  
around in the air, as Sasami held her at arm's length away from  
the kittens. "There now, don't be afraid, you two! Come on,  
come on out…"  
  
One little furry white head poked out from under Aeka's skirts,  
looking around in fear.  
  
"There now, don't be afraid," Aeka bent to stroke the kitten's  
head, and it purred affectionately, before licking Aeka's hand.  
  
"I think it likes you!" Tenchi laughed, as Sasami tried to lure the  
black one out from behind Tenchi's leg. Aeka picked up the little  
white thing, letting it stand on her hand. The kitten mewed and  
rubbed itself against her hand.  
  
"My, what an adorable thing you are! I will call you Anako."  
Anako mewed in appreciation and reached up for Aeka's chin,  
licking it. The purple-haired princess chuckled with pleasure.  
  
"What about this one?" Sasami pointed to the black cat Tenchi  
was trying to coax into his hand.  
  
"Hmmm? Ah, at last!" The black one finally deigned to climb  
onto Tenchi's hand, though it still seemed a little nervous. Not  
surprising, really, because Ryo-oh-ki was still hissing and  
spitting and spinning around. "You do look like Kitty!" Thinking  
of the black cat at his grandfather's shrine, Tenchi tickled the  
kitten. It purred in pleasure, but then jumped off anyway. Tenchi  
looked at it, half expecting it to bolt off, but it only mewed at him.  
"Well, I guess that means you're here to stay, then. Aeka?"  
  
"Noo, I want to name him!" Sasami giggled. "You'll call you  
Oneko."  
  
"Actually, I prefer the name Koneko," Ryoko suddenly appeared  
out of nowhere, standing so that the black kitten was between  
her and Tenchi. "Now that's what I call a kitten's name!" She  
reached down to pat Koneko, and the little black thing happily  
rubbed herself against her hand. "You like it, don't you?  
Ryo-oh-ki, stop that! You're mixing up my mind!"  
  
"Humph," Aeka stood up at Ryoko's approach. "Let's go,  
Anako. I have to take my breakfast, you know."  
  
"Mew," Anako seemed to wave goodbye to Koneko as Aeka  
entered the door.  
  
"Oh, and see if you can whip up a little something too for  
Tenchi," Aeka's voice sounded again.  
  
"Sure, Aeka!" Sasami hurried into the house too, with Ryo-oh-ki  
still dangling from her fingers, though considerably less noisy,  
probably because she was tired.  
  
"Hey, Tenchi, what's that about, huh!?" Ryoko looked at him,  
jealousy, burning in her eyes,   
  
"Er, huh, well, just something I said," grinned Tenchi, ignoring  
Koneko who was rubbing itself against Tenchi's trouser leg.  
"Aeka's my guest too, you know."  
  
"I don't care!" Ryoko turned away, gradually floating higher into  
the sky.  
  
Tenchi hung his head.  
  
Suddenly Ryoko was looking wildly in all directions, as though  
searching for someone. Satisfied, she then turned to face  
Tenchi and grinned wickedly.  
  
"Ryoko…?" Tenchi stuttered.  
  
"We're all alone, aren't we?" Her voice had a seductive tone to it.  
  
"Uh, Ryoko, don't!!" Tenchi's eyes widened as the pirate dived  
down at him, swooping down like a hawk and clutching him in  
her embrace.  
  
"Why?" She asked, smiling face right before his.  
  
Tenchi pointed down.  
  
"Mew!" Koneko seemed to be happy, and rubbed itself on  
Ryoko's leg.  
  
"Tenchi, you never change!" And she held him closer.  
  
I guess that must feel good, Ryoko. Tenchi thought, running his  
hands through her hair and hearing Ryoko sigh happily.  
  
Then he gently pulled at her arms.  
  
"But Tenchi! Why?" Ryoko asked, plaintively.  
  
"I have to… or there'll be a fight." He tugged a little harder.  
  
"I don't care about Aeka! All I want is to be with you!"  
  
But I do, Tenchi nearly let slip. "Please." He felt her stiffen as  
she heard him, though her hold was no less insistent or and her  
body no less soft. "Ryoko." Slowly her arms loosened, and she  
stood before him, anguished and defeated.  
  
"I'm sorry, Ryoko. Thank you," Tenchi almost turned to go, just  
like he normally did, but he stopped himself, as Kiyone's words  
rang in his mind.  
  
Love them or lose them.  
  
Ryoko looked up as Tenchi drew near her. His hands were  
holding her cheeks, and his lips were reaching for her.  
  
Her heart fluttered.  
  
Gently, Tenchi tilted her head down before him and kissed her  
on her forehead, between the eyes.  
  
"Please understand."  
  
Ryoko blinked, exhilaration deepening to disappointment.  
  
He loves me! But he is not ready…  
  
She looked up, hands reaching out for him, but he had gone  
into the house.  
  
Pleasure it was, but so bitter! She just managed restrained the  
urge to shriek in frustration as the pleasure induced pain lanced  
in her heart, and Koneko looked up in surprise as she vanished.  
  
Whirling images skimmed by her, of the white clouds and the  
empty sky. The universe beyond beckoned her to return to her  
cold, lonely roots, in which she knew she could never survive.  
Her tears, cold from the high altitude, stung her face, and she  
unleashed her agony in one heartbreaking howl.   
  
Only two people heard Ryoko cry out, all alone in the sky. One  
with her whole being, body and soul. The other, with his soul.  
  
Seated before Aeka, Tenchi winced visibly,   
  
"Lord Tenchi, what's the matter?" Aeka put down her  
chopsticks and reached out for him, her other hand cradling  
Anako, as Tenchi pushed the plate with the remaining food on it  
away.  
  
"It's noth…" Tenchi stopped, halfway, a thought forming in his  
mind. Rather than to keep everything locked up in himself so  
that he felt like exploding, he might confide in someone.  
  
He took in Aeka's appearance, her face a mask of concern.  
  
Aeka. She would understand. At least the principle.  
  
"Aeka, I don't mean to get you involved in my problems, but tell  
me, have you ever felt like doing something, when someone  
close to you was pulling you the other way?" He was sure she  
could not fail to at least understand his sentiments, what with  
her constant turmoil over her duty to Jurai and her desire to be  
with him.  
  
Aeka suddenly became silent, her jaw fixed rigid.  
  
Oh no, did she realise I was asking about her and Ryoko?  
  
"I'm sorry, Aeka. I did not mean to hurt you." Regret lined his  
voice.  
  
"No apologies are expected or accepted, Tenchi." Aeka  
murmured. "It's just that you touched a raw chord in me."  
  
"I'm sor… I didn't know."  
  
"It's all right. You just asked me how I've managed to live my life,  
didn't you?"  
  
Tenchi blinked, confused. "I didn't think you'd take it that way."  
  
"It has always been this way between myself and my duties as a  
princess. Almost since I was born." Aeka's voice was  
melancholy. "I just have to live with it, and balance my duties."  
She blinked away her tears. "But things seem to be better now  
that I've met…" She stopped, too embarrassed to continue.  
  
"You really want something, don't you, Aeka?" He asked, softly,  
only too aware what it was.  
  
She nodded.  
  
What are you doing, Aeka! Where is your dignity!?  
  
There is no insult in telling Tenchi! He is not a worm! He is  
Juraian Royalty.  
  
"What about your own problem, Tenchi?" She asked,  
brightening up.  
  
"Well, you see, I really *need* to do something when everyone  
else is telling me to do the opposite. That I'm not following their  
suggestions makes them…" Tenchi gulped as he nearly said  
'both.' "…very upset, and it hurts me to see them upset."  
  
He's talking about you and Ryoko, can't you see that!?  
  
No, he can't be. How can that woman measure up against me?  
  
"I can understand that, Tenchi. It happens only too often,  
especially with the Juraian Council." She smiled a little to herself  
as she thought how events had placed them back in line. As  
things were, she could all but postpone marriage meetings  
infinitely. "But if you really can't do what they ask of you, and  
you care for them, why not explain it to them?"  
  
Tenchi gritted his teeth. Was Aeka that thick headed?  
  
But then again, did he really wanted her to know?  
  
"I really, really cannot tell them. It would hurt them even worse,  
and knowing them, they'll just say it's okay, and I should…"  
How was he supposed to phrase that? Go ahead and have a  
good time? "…be more, well, whatever it is they want me to be.  
Then they'll see to it I do just that, which will really, really hurt  
them but they won't show it because they don't want to hurt  
me." It was all very confusing, really, but somehow his thoughts  
seemed to clear up when speaking to Aeka.  
  
It was her eyes, her attitude. She seemed to being saying, I'm  
listening to you, Tenchi, and I'll try to understand.  
  
And she was, in a way. Only now her eyes were starry and  
glazed over, now that he had ended his speech.  
  
Speak up, Aeka! She heard her mind order. Tell him you  
understand and it's okay.  
  
But he is right, he does not need, or wish to hear me.  
  
You're a princess! You can take the pain!  
  
Could I? She sounded almost bitter to herself. Even now it's  
already difficult.  
  
She bowed her head, looking drained and apologetic, fighting to  
keep from saying what she wanted and trying to think what  
Tenchi needed to hear. "I'm sorry, Tenchi. But I see now, even  
though I am princess, I *cannot* instruct you in this matter."  
Anako seemed to understand, and looked pityingly at her,  
before licking her chin gently.  
  
Tenchi's heart sank a little, unsure if she already knew what he  
meant. But at least it was better then it was when he felt Ryoko's  
pain. But did he just transfer her pain to Aeka?  
  
Sighing, he sat back, defeated.  
  
"But, Tenchi, I want you to know, that whatever you choose, I  
am behind you." Aeka said quietly, polished off the rest of  
breakfast, then stood up to leave, Anako trailing behind her.  
  
Tenchi sank his head in his hands. Now he was asking Aeka to  
do something against her own desire, placing her in exactly the  
situation he stood in.  
  
Well, at least she understood. A consolation.  
  
And how does that help anything? A bitter retort.  
  
Why did everything have to be so difficult!?  
  
====================================  
  
It's almost lunch time!  
  
Desperately, Kiyone wrestled with the machine's engine, trying  
to keep cool and calm.  
  
A good distance behind her, Mihoshi stood. "Uh, Kiyone, are  
you sure you don't need help?"  
  
"For the last time, Mihoshi, YES!" She stepped back and wiped  
the sweat off her brow. That looked about right. "Okay, rev her  
up."  
  
"Sure, Kiyone!" Mihoshi smiled and reached for a button. The  
owner of the ship, who was watching the two work, just  
managed to make out a blue streak, tinged with dark green on  
top, before the tangle of blue, yellow and green landed together  
in a heap.  
  
"Urm, Kiyone, could you get off me?"  
  
"Yeah, sure," Kiyone quickly got to her feet, her uniform now  
dirty with the dust of the moon as well as the grime from the  
engine. "You, sir, rev her up."  
  
"Uh, sure, officer." The chap quickly walked over to comply.  
  
"What was that for?" Mihoshi asked, dusting herself, while  
Kiyone stared tensely at the ship. The machine gave a roar, a  
splutter, then started working.  
  
"Hey, you fixed it! Thanks!" the delighted sire-in-distress  
exclaimed. Kiyone gave a loud sigh of relief and sagged against  
Mihoshi. She was almost certainly as happy as the owner, only  
too tired to show it.  
  
"Quick, Yagami, take us up. And you sir, had best service that  
ship."  
  
"Bye!" Mihoshi managed to get out before they were beamed up  
into the ship.  
  
Kiyone quickly set the ship to maximum speed, auto navigation,  
destination Earth, before slumping into the control seat.  
  
"Kiyone?"  
  
"Yes, Mihoshi?" Weakly.  
  
"Why did you, uh…"  
  
"I'm sorry, Mihoshi, but I really, *really* couldn't afford to let  
you…" Kiyone fought the impulse to say 'screw it up', "…touch  
that engine." The green-haired officer snatched a quick glance  
at her watch, and groaned. It was almost twelve.  
  
Hurry up, Yagami, she prayed.  
  
"We have arrived in orbit around Earth. Auto pilot taking over."  
  
"Beam us down." As they were bathed in the light, Kiyone  
quickly told Mihoshi, "You go to Tenchi's place for lunch first. I'll  
join you later, so don't wait for me. If I don't show up, get back  
here. Remember, we still have a job at Mosburger."   
  
The apartment walls appeared around them, and the two Chief  
Inspectors made for the doors, Kiyone opening the one to the  
outside, while Mihoshi knocked on the wall beside that, and  
opened the door that materialised. Kiyone was half way out the  
door before she realised something.  
  
I'm still in uniform!  
  
She quickly looked at herself.  
  
And filthy!  
  
For a moment Kiyone squirmed in the grip of indecision, acutely  
aware it was already 12:10, and she would take at least another  
twenty minutes to get to the Hurashi Steel Enterprises. Finally  
making up her mind, she rushed back in, closing the apartment  
door behind her, grabbing a set of (nice) clothes and entered  
Tenchi's house. As she opened the door, she could hear  
laughter below as the Masaki household ate their lunch. Quickly  
opening the door to the bath, which was thankfully empty,  
Kiyone stepped in, rapidly stripped off her uniform, ran to the  
edge of the pool, and…  
  
Jumped?  
  
That's funny, Kiyone thought to herself as she sailed through  
the air, her hands holding her legs up before her. I've never  
done this before, and I didn't think I'd do it now.  
  
A resounding splash as she hit the water, and she almost  
laughed for the fun of it.  
  
This is great! I probably did it to calm my nerves, and it sure did!  
  
====================================  
  
Washu looked up from her food and commented to Tenchi.  
"Kiyone's here." Mihoshi was too busy wolfing down lunch to  
take any notice.  
  
"Huh, how did you know?"  
  
"Someone just pulled open the door to the bath, rather quickly.  
Kiyone seems in a rush. Hey, don't tickle!" She seemed to want  
to laugh as Koneko, seated in her lap, rubbed itself against her  
side. The black kitten, wandering in the house after 'losing'  
Ryoko, had become attached to her since she emerged from her  
lab. It purred as Washu tickled it back, under its neck.  
  
Tenchi, straining his ears, had just managed to hear the door  
slide open again, as though pulled back by someone using a lot  
of force. "I really ought to install a bell on the wall or the door, so  
at least I know when they drop by in. Could you help me?"  
  
"Maybe." Washu looked rather thoughtful, then she suddenly  
became very interested in her food.  
  
Tenchi took a cursory look around and found Aeka and Ryoko  
glaring at Washu. "Sigh. If you please, the two of you…" Aeka  
and Ryoko returned to eating their meals, though their eyes still  
fixed on Tenchi and Washu. "Washu, I believe you've been a  
little busy lately."  
  
"Yeah, Washu, we haven't seen much of you since you came.  
You only come out to eat the breakfast or lunch or dinner that I  
cook up and you don't talk so much like you used to." Sasami  
added. "I miss the old Washu."  
  
Washu peered curiously at Sasami, then at Tenchi.  
  
"We all do," Tenchi finished. Ryoko and Aeka seemed to be a  
little more annoyed, but Tenchi chose to ignore them.  
  
"It's rather serious, Tenchi." Washu said. "And it's my own  
problem, you don't have to help."  
  
"No!" Sasami announced. "Your problem is our problem!"  
  
"What problem?" Mihoshi suddenly asked, blue eyes wide with  
surprise, a little rice hanging out of the corner of her mouth.  
  
"Well…" Washu deliberated, casting a questioning eye on the  
people seated at the table.  
  
"Yes, Sasami is perfectly right," Tenchi decided, and was  
gratified to see Aeka nod. Katsuhito remained silent and  
detached, as always, while Ryoko, seeing Tenchi's happy gaze  
at Aeka, nodded too.  
  
"Very well," Washu said, before raising her chopsticks. "But  
only after lunch."  
  
"What was that about?" Mihoshi asked. "Anyway, I won't be  
staying long, Tenchi. Kiyone told me if she didn't show up I  
should be getting back."  
  
====================================  
  
Kiyone threw open the door to the outside and was dashing out  
when she realised someone was standing in the doorway. Her  
eyes widened as she attempted to arrest herself, but it looked  
like she was about ram into the figure when…  
  
"Hello, Kiyone-chan." Strong hands clasped her shoulders,  
steadying her and preventing her from careening into him. "May  
I come in?"  
  
"Kova…! Well, what a surprise!" Kiyone managed, blushing. His  
hands let go of her rather quickly, as he looked, bemused, at  
her.  
  
"You look… great." He took in her light blue blouse, green vest  
and dark pants. Kiyone did not exactly have an extensive  
wardrobe, especially with regard to low cut dresses or skimpy  
mini skirts. Not that she would have worn them on this occasion  
anyway. "Going somewhere?"  
  
"Not anymore. Have you had lunch?"   
  
"Brought it with me," he smiled, raising up a rather large paper  
bag. "Want to share?"  
  
"I'll have to see what it is first. Come on in." She stepped back to  
make way for him, thinking as she did how nice he looked, in his  
white tee and dark blue trousers. He entered the apartment and  
set down his package on the table.  
  
"It's a good thing Mihoshi likes lunch so much, she decided to  
leave us." He settled down by the table as Kiyone closed the  
door. Kiyone's eyes followed his as he looked around the  
apartment, empty except for them, while she sat opposite him.  
"Sigh…"  
  
Kiyone's brow furrowed, and she bent forward a little. "What's  
wrong?"  
  
"Nothing, just that… later. Just give me a moment as I set the  
table."   
  
"So, what made help Mihoshi yesterday?" Kiyone asked as she  
watched him take out plates of roast chicken, sushi, and  
vegetable salad.  
  
"Well… I thought she might have done with some help." Kova  
answered, before meticulously arranging the dishes he had  
taken out on the small table and unwrapping the plastic  
wrapping around them.   
  
"Oh really?" Kiyone asked, sounding skeptical and amused.  
"You sure you had no other intentions?"  
  
Kova smiled, but his eyes did not leave his preoccupation. "So  
perhaps I might have had other intentions." Reaching into his  
bag, he produced two plates of rice, wrapped up, like the other  
food, in plastic. "But I promise you, all of them are honourable."  
  
"Yeah, right," Kiyone curled one side of her lip up in sarcasm.  
  
"Well… take my word, or leave it." He returned, seemingly  
unperturbed as he removed the covers off the two plates of rice,  
and placed one plate before Kiyone and the other before  
himself.   
  
"Fine…" Kiyone scrutinised her considerably smaller portion of  
rice, then looked meaningfully at him. "So this is what you mean  
by sharing, huh?"  
  
"Well, I thought you'd like some space to well, eat something  
else." Kiyone's eyes widened a little, as she read between his  
lines. But he seemed oblivious to it as he grinned, producing  
two pairs of chopsticks, and handing one to her. "Go ahead,  
help yourself!"  
  
Rather gingerly, what with eating under the gaze of someone  
else, Kiyone tasted a piece of sushi. "Not bad." She conceded,  
as he smiled proudly while filling out a cup with tea, belonging  
to Kiyone. Placed beside the table, on the ground, was  
Mihoshi's cup. Somehow, he knew which was which. Kiyone  
looked questioningly at him.  
  
"Yours does not have scratches from your fingernails. Nor is it  
so new." Almost like a triumphant detective, he placed the filled  
cup before her.  
  
"What about you?" she asked.  
  
For a response, he picked up a bigger cup from within his bag,  
leaving it decidedly empty.  
  
"You *are* well prepared, aren't you?" Kiyone asked as she tried  
another delicious looking piece of chicken meat. "This is quite  
good too." Not everyday did one find food comparable to  
Sasami's. "Say, where did you buy this?"  
  
Kova just arched his eyebrow proudly and took more food.  
  
Kiyone's eyes widened. "You didn't…!"  
  
He bowed his head to sip his tea, but his eyes never left hers.  
"But I did."  
  
Kiyone sat back, stunned. "You were prepared for this, weren't  
you?"  
  
"One tries one's humble best. Besides, I thought you might have  
some rather delicate tastes." Again, that hint. Raising his cup of  
tea, "Cheers."   
  
Kiyone raised her cup. "Cheers."  
  
"To Kiyone, the greatest woman in the universe."  
  
"To Kova, possibly the second best cook in the universe."  
  
He gave a laugh as Kiyone blushed, then downed his cup.  
"Well, don't eat too much then. Save some space for the best  
cook's meal."  
  
The third hint. That clinched it.  
  
"You know who Sasami is, don't you?" She asked.  
  
He seemed to freeze, his chopsticks pausing in mid reach for a  
sushi roll, then he relaxed, and continued with what he was  
doing. "Seriously, you never thought I was an ordinary  
earthling, did you, Kiyone?" The sushi disappeared into his  
mouth.  
  
"I guessed it last night. No one on earth could have the  
consummate skill and confidence you have." She said firmly.   
  
He looked at her rather tensely, trying to figure her next move.  
"You're Kiyone, all right."  
  
"Of course," she said, almost indignantly, then she softened her  
voice. "Then again, no one I've ever met had the audacity and  
boldness you have." She obviously was not referring to  
entering the apartment.  
  
He looked at her, his face filled with doubt and surprise. "You,  
are unbelievable."  
  
"Well, we live and we learn, don't we, Kova?" She looked away,  
nibbling on a celery. "So you know who I am, what I do for a  
living?"  
  
"You are a Galaxy Police Officer, formerly 1st Class Detective,  
now a 2nd Class Chief Inspector." He said, his voice calm and  
controlled, but she could make out the turmoil underneath it.  
"You were first in your class in the Galaxy Police Academy, and  
assisted in restoring the throne of Jurai from Kagato to Aeka  
Jurai. Currently a resident officer here, I suspect, at the request  
of your partner Mihoshi."  
  
Kiyone's mind recoiled in amazement at the sheer amount of  
things Kova knew about her, but she maintained a calm exterior.  
  
"And you are…?" She queried, seemingly probing confidently,  
but fearful of what she'd find. Did she want to know? She didn't  
know, but she definitely had to ask. The image of the silhouette  
sitting in the window stirred in her mind, pushing her onwards  
where she dare not tread.  
  
His voice lowered again. "Do you really want to know?"  
  
"No." She said, lowering her chopsticks, still not looking at him,  
fighting the awful realisation that was dawning on her. The  
disguise at the burger joint, the way he vanished to avoid  
questioning when the police came, the break-in, the way he  
knew everything.   
  
"No. I do not wish to know." More to herself, than to him, but  
already her finely trained mind was making the connections.  
The whole thing clicked into perspective. For a moment her  
mind reeled with wild, impossible thoughts, then her head sank  
into her hands, and the dam broke as wild emotions of  
confusion, terror and anger streamed through her like a  
thunderstorm across the raging seas.   
  
"Get out." Her voice trembled as she pointed a shaking finger at  
the door.  
  
The ensuing silence was punctuated only by the sounds of  
Kiyone sobbing.  
  
"Kiyone-chan…"  
  
"Don't you call me that!" her voice rose in a fury, as she stood  
up, glaring at him with angry eyes. Wet with tears, red with  
crying. And she saw him, though her vision was blurred, she  
nevertheless saw him as clearly as though she were right before  
his face.  
  
He was sitting before her, all solemn and still, as though he had  
been struck by lightning. The blood had drained from his face,  
and he looked almost like a statue, but his eyes were staring at  
her in that sad, sober, yet tender and loving way, yet tremulous.  
In their crystal clear depths, like two deep lakes, she could see  
currents stirring, because of her. Waves running across it,  
because of her. And the water glistened in them, as clearly as  
they had flooded her own. Emotions, like her own, zigzagging  
across the surface like lightning in a clear sky.   
  
"I did not think your world meant that much to you, Kiyone. So  
much more than yourself, your happiness."  
  
His face was clouded, cold and still. His brow was not furrowed,  
nor was his mouth in any way expressing sorrow or anger, but  
she could almost feel the ice form up before his face, his mask,  
even as she realised he was trembling. The sadness she felt  
emanating from him would soon stop, would soon be gone.  
Soon.  
  
The emotion flowed back over his face, and he became  
animated, his face contorting into a wild mask of pain, as words  
flowed from within, laced with his heart's blood.  
  
"Please, I beg you, remain human! Let not the light turn you into  
a statue of marble, unfeeling and cold, an ivory gem that can  
never be touched! Feel, be human, be alive."   
  
She saw him, desperately pleading, entreating with her, and  
remembered that glimpse of him she had seen, when he had  
seemed like a statue. Even now, he was subsiding, until he  
became as he was then, only this time his eyes had died. Only  
his lips were moving, slowly, as stone trying to speak.  
  
"Save yourself, Kiyone. Save your humanity, or we will both  
lose ours." Quietly, almost as a dirge. "Please."  
  
Then she realised what she had seen on him, on his face. The  
humanity, the care, the warmth that flowed from it was almost  
gone. In time it would be stilled completely, taking along with it  
that side of him he had shown to no one but her, and that part of  
him would be silenced under the sheen of ice that she now saw  
creeping up his face.  
  
That was creeping up her own.  
  
She could imagine he could never dare remove his mask again.  
  
Just as she would never.  
  
And they would have been killed…forever.  
  
Her resolve broke, and she stood before him, quaking like a  
wilted leaf before a stormy gale. And he sat before her, still like a  
prisoner awaiting the headsman's block.  
  
She saw her own eyes soften, reflected in his, even as she felt  
her body quiver and seem to fall.  
  
Then he was by her side, cradling her in his arms. She half  
expected him to kiss him, but then she felt his hands slide away,  
and she realised she was on her futon.  
  
"There now, it will be all right." His face was watching over her,  
so full of care and fear, all for her. His fingers quickly brushed  
before his eyes, and she realised he too, was crying.  
  
No one had ever cared for her, cried for her, like that before.  
Maybe only her mother, whom she only dimly remembered.  
  
"You won't be working at Mos Burger today, Kiyone. I'll call  
them up, tell them you were sick."  
  
"Yes," she managed a smile. "Lovesick." He seemed to brighten  
a little at seeing her smile, a weak, dainty smile he had never  
imagined she would have and that she had no idea how she did.  
"But the phone isn't working." A rose tinge coloured her  
cheeks. "Why *do* you love me so much?"  
  
"Until a moment ago, I thought it was because you were special,  
you were different. I thought it was because you were so  
uniquely Kiyone." The shimmering azure lakes before her ran  
deep, but still gleamed brightly in the light. "Now I realise that  
was only part of the story."  
  
"I also thought it was because you viewed me differently from  
the rest, and how you were like nobody I've ever known." Her  
intent, piercing green eyes burned deeply into his mind, and he  
knew that even in his darkest days, he would never forget them.  
"To think I thought I got that right."  
  
"But we were both wrong." Kova said.  
  
Kiyone nodded. "Because you saw yourself in me."  
  
"And you wanted to save me."  
  
"To save myself."  
  
And this is what it is like, to feel so keenly for another person.  
They could feel each other, breathing, thinking, reaching out.   
  
I wonder if this is when I get to kiss her, Kova thought.  
  
Kiyone looked past him to the table. "Your lunch is getting  
cold." Already the tears were a distant memory, leaving only  
lines that marred the surface of her skin, and could be washed  
off easily. It felt so *good* being near him now.  
  
"And do you think you can eat, or do you want me to feed you?"  
Kova laughed, a hearty laugh that warmed Kiyone's heart. He  
could see her moment of weakness, induced by her painful  
emotions, had passed, and her strength was returning.  
  
"No, I think I can manage." Kiyone extended a hand, and he  
helped her up, then walked her to her place, before settling  
down at his. "Let's hurry up and finish your delicious cooking  
before it gets cold."   
  
Both of them ate heartily now, not speaking, but basking in the  
warm glow of the other's presence, while thinking back to the  
times they had met, the things they had learnt about the other.  
Before long, the food was finished.  
  
"One last toast, if you don't mind, Kova-chan," said Kiyone,  
blushing again, as she filled their cups.  
  
"Thank you, Kiyone-chan." Kova was looking away, trying to  
blink the tears of joy out of his eyes. Only last night did he ever  
dream someone might call him that, and now, it was a reality.  
"Thank you."  
  
Kiyone knew it was not for her pouring the tea. "A toast, then."  
She raised her drink.  
  
"To us!" They said together, and drained their cups.  
  
Kova started placing the dirtied disposable plates back into his  
bag. Kiyone helped him with it, and she heard him sigh, and  
remembered what he did when he just came in.  
  
"You didn't tell me about that, just now."   
  
"It's just that…" His eyes roamed around the apartment again.  
"There's just the two of us, alone, in this apartment. Since I  
joined the Syndicate, I never thought I could lead a normal life  
like that. Almost like we were…"  
  
Silence.   
  
Then Kiyone sighed, regret tingeing her voice. "Yes, I know how  
you feel. Sometimes GP life just gives you no time to be  
anything else other than an officer. And I have been an officer of  
the law for so long, it just seems so far away from me…"  
  
Silence again.  
  
"Do you think it will be possible?" he asked, his voice quiet and  
sober again.  
  
"It might," she replied, thoughtfully. "Someday, it might."  
  
"I hope so," he was about to stand up, and stopped. "Oh, and I  
don't believe I've told you my full name. It's Kova Kashiro."  
  
Kiyone did not respond.  
  
"Just thought you might want to know."  
  
"We will have to discuss that, don't we?"  
  
"Yes, we must." Kova paused. "I'm sorry to put you through so  
much. Next time, I guess."  
  
"When will that be?"  
  
"How about tomorrow, same time?"  
  
"No, I think we need some more time to think things over.  
Maybe… next week?"  
  
Kova's eyes bulged out at her.  
  
"Just kidding! Tomorrow night. After Mihoshi's asleep." She  
thought he saw him smile mischievously. "In case you were  
having any ideas, it will be downstairs."  
  
"Well, that settles that." He stood up, hand on the bag  
containing the rubbish, and Kiyone followed suit. She walked  
him to door and opened it, as he stepped before her, the  
reluctance to leave her clearly seen in his eyes. Bringing his  
face close to hers, "Bye, Kiyone-chan."  
  
"Bye, Kova-chan." She felt his lips brush by her cheek and saw,  
over his shoulder…  
  
MIHOSHI!  
  
=== End of Chapter ===  
  
NOTES:  
Kova is in a way, an SIed character. Pls include him in your  
comments, whether I have portrayed him as a person, as a friend  
or foe, as one of the gang, and most importantly, as a human being.  
  
I hope you have enjoyed this Fanfic as much as I have typing it.  
If there are any more grammar errors, I beg your forgiveness, as  
my sole proofreader is myself.  
  
This is my first FF, so go ahead and mail me at zyraen@yahoo.com  
with comments, especially on character portrayal, realism.  



	4. No Need for Nightmares

Disclaimer :  
Most characters in this story are property of AIC and Pioneer.  
They are in such a situation solely because of my imagination.  
This story was written purely for fun.  
  
This FF is based on the TV Series, with some powers drawn over  
from the OAV, but with no Light Hawk Wings.  
  
This story contains no sex, so please do not expect it.  
  
Before I wrote this Fanfic, I have only read 2 Fanfics, Aikan  
Muyo and To Love & To Hate. Since then I have read some others,  
and have noted some writers have a tendency to portray some  
characters inaccurately. I hope I have not fallen into that trap.  
  
That's about it, I'm a simple soul at heart...  
  
  
DARKNESS & LIGHT - No Need For Kova  
  
By Zyraen  
  
Chapter IV : No Need for Nightmares  
  
As Kova withdrew his lips from her cheek, he glimpsed the yellow   
reflected in her eyes and, having an inkling of Kiyone's sentiments about   
being spotted, was suddenly off like a shot.  
  
Kiyone looked straight at Mihoshi, her face totally aghast. And Mihoshi   
looked at Kiyone, dumb struck too, but with a face that was bright with   
joy, hands on her cheeks.  
  
"Mihoshi! Look, that wasn't what you think it was!!" Kiyone's face was   
pale.  
  
"Oh, Kiyone, I didn't know you had a …" Her words ended off into high   
pitched giggles. "Oooh, how scandalous! Kiyone, too!" Mihoshi's face was   
burning a bright red.  
  
"Mihoshi!"  
  
"Now who would have thought of that? Kiyone!" She giggled again.  
  
"Mihoshi!"  
  
"Oh, I'm so happy for you, Kiyone!" Mihoshi wrapped both her arms around   
Kiyone's neck and hugged her tightly. "Just wait till everyone hears about   
it! They'll be *so* happy for you!" She stepped back from Kiyone. "My, how   
nice you look! He must be really close to you, Kiyone! Why, even I didn't   
know about it! Say, how many more secrets do you have?" She sidled up   
close to her partner, who was frozen with horror. "How does he look like?   
Is he cute?"  
  
Kiyone tried to stop herself, but she could not.  
  
"Oh, you're blushing! You look so sweet like that, Kiyone, no wonder he's   
in love with you!" Then she noticed the tear marks on Kiyone's face, and   
an ugly suspicion leaped into her mind, before Mihoshi's face turned to a   
frown. "Say, has he been nice to you? I won't have anyone pushing my   
partner Kiyone around!"  
  
"He… he has been very nice to me, Mihoshi," Kiyone gave up, and leaned   
back against the open door. "Honest…"  
  
"You sure? You don't look very happy right now, Kiyone." An astonishingly   
astute observation for someone like Mihoshi.  
  
Kiyone roared back to life, hands gripping Mihoshi's collar. "That's   
because of you, you nitwit!!" She shouted full into Mihoshi's face.  
  
"I'm sorry, Kiyone…" To Kiyone's amazement, Mihoshi started to cry. "It's   
all my fault…sniff." Tears started rolling out of her eyes.  
  
Kiyone let go of her, stunned, for the second time in the same hour.   
"Mihoshi, I…"  
  
"I know, it's all my fault…Don't leave me, Kiyone…" Mihoshi sobbed,   
sitting on the floor.  
  
Suddenly Kiyone realised what else she had seen in Mihoshi's face, for   
just a split second. Fear. Fear that her beloved partner Kiyone was going   
to be taken from her.  
  
Yet, she had congratulated Kiyone, so sincerely too…  
  
"I'm sorry, Mihoshi…" Kiyone bent down before her partner. "I just don't   
like to be seen, doing this, or having everybody know about this, okay?"  
  
"It's… not my fault?" Mihoshi stopped crying.  
  
"No, it's not, it never was. And you'll always be my partner," Kiyone had   
never dreamed she would ever say such a thing to Mihoshi, so she changed   
its meaning a little. "Even if I have a boyfriend."  
  
"Oh… that's great, Kiyone! We'll be partners, and we'll be fighting   
crime, forever, side by side." Mihoshi thankfully failed to see Kiyone   
wince at the phrase 'fighting crime.' "And everyone will be so glad you   
have a…"  
  
"SSHHH!" Kiyone had a hand clamped over Mihoshi's mouth. "DON'T tell   
anyone about it."  
  
"Oh. Okay, Kiyone…"  
  
"Whew," Kiyone wiped the sweat off her face as Mihoshi got up. She just   
happened to glance at her watch. "Two thirty! Oh my god, we're over an   
hour late for work! Hurry up, Mihoshi, we've got to get to Mos Burger!"  
  
Kiyone hurried out the door, and suddenly stopped, causing Mihoshi to   
bump into her.  
  
"Kiyone, why did you…?" Mihoshi watched as Kiyone's eyes bore into her.  
  
"What are you doing still in that uniform!? Get changed, Mihoshi!" she   
snarled.  
  
When they finally arrived at the fast food restaurant where they had met   
Kova for the first time, it was already past three o'clock. They were   
panting when they got there, and expected the manager to emerge to scold   
them, maybe even fire them  
  
"Hello!? Kiyone and Mihoshi reporting for work!"  
  
"Kiyone? Mihoshi?" the manager looked at them. "I thought you were sick?"  
  
"Huh?" the two girls said together.  
  
"Just now, a Dr. Kashiro passed by, saying he just went on a house call   
to your apartment. He said you had asked him to stop by here as he was   
passing by and your phone at your place is spoilt."  
  
"Actually, our phone line was disco… Mmmph!"  
  
"Go on," Kiyone said sweetly, hand tightly clamped over Mihoshi's mouth.  
  
"Well, he said he had declared you, Kiyone, unfit for work, and Mihoshi   
had stayed back to take care of you."  
  
"But Kiyone was…Ummph!"  
  
"Dr Kashiro was rather nice, but I think he underestimated my hardiness."  
  
"Well, I don't know about that, but he graduated from the Tokyo Academy   
of Health, so he should be quite good. Anyway, it sure is good to have the   
two you back for work. You are a hardworking pair, you two are, even if   
Mihoshi is a little…"  
  
"Mmmph?" Mihoshi attempted.  
  
"Never mind."  
  
===========================================================  
  
"Wow, that's a really big problem you've got there." Tenchi had to admit.   
All around him, shocked faces showed.  
  
"Don't worry," Washu said, some of her old confidence returning to her.   
"I think I can handle it."  
  
"How? That's something pretty big, even for a space pirate." Ryoko   
commented.  
  
"I resent that!" Washu said, folding her hands over her chest. Ryoko   
blinked as her spectral computer shimmered out before her. "You dare   
compare the greatest genius scientist of the universe to the scum and   
dregs of society that are skulking in space!!"  
  
Oh no, I'm going to be turned into a kappa again and Tenchi will be left   
with Aeka!  
  
"Well, even if Ryoko has offended you, I'm sure we of the planet Jurai   
would be very willing to offer assistance in this matter of existential   
importance, Washu," Aeka spoke carefully, and waited expectantly for the   
Ryoko's transformation as the scientist ran her fingers over the keyboard.  
  
"Washu, please don't do anything to Ryoko!" Tenchi quickly said, and   
Ryoko opened her eyes, gratitude showing through them at Tenchi, before   
shutting them again. "After all, you need all the help you can get, don't   
you?"  
  
"No, in fact I don't." Washu said tartly, putting a hand into a   
dimensional hole as Ryoko opened her eyes, wondering why she was still the   
same form. Washu raised her hand out of the rift and took out what looked   
like a gun with a satellite mounted on it. "This, is the invention that   
may yet save the day!"  
  
A miniature Washu doll popped up on her shoulder. "Washu, you're the   
greatest!"  
  
Then the other too. "Washu, you're the genius!"  
  
"Isn't it just amazing! But then I am the greatest scientific genius in   
the universe, after all!"  
  
"So, what does it do?" Sasami queried.  
  
"It is a device that emits the Tachyon Ray!" She announced.  
  
Everyone shrank very far back from her.  
  
"Only now, under the scrutiny of my most brilliant self, its scope is   
widened drastically. To be precise, into two different dimensions!" She   
hugged it, almost like it was a stuffed toy, and Tenchi tried not to   
imagine what would happen if her finger slipped on the trigger. "Say, what   
are you people doing so far away from me?"  
  
Tenchi pointed a trembling finger at the Tachyon Blaster.  
  
"Oh, don't worry! Its current settings are such that it could barely   
eliminate a molecule." She grinned before everyone. "See!" She pulled the   
trigger.  
  
Silence.  
  
"Rrring…!"  
  
Sasami, Ryoko, Tenchi and Aeka opened their eyes, wondering if that was   
the doorbell to the afterlife.  
  
"Ring, rrring!"  
  
"Oh, it's the phone!" Tenchi managed to get out, and everyone sighed with   
relief. "I'll go get it!"  
  
Washu looked at them, annoyed. "I have a good mind to turn you all into   
kappa for daring to doubt the greatest genius scientist in the universe,   
you know." Tenchi ran even faster.  
  
"Hello?" he picked up the ringing phone.  
  
"Excuse me, but is this the Masaki residence?" The voice on the other   
side was rather gruff, like that of some older man, but it had affable   
undertones, and also contrived to sound professional.  
  
"Yes. Who're you looking for?"  
  
"Tenchi Masaki, please."  
  
"Speaking."  
  
"Would you happen to have an associate called Kiyone…" the voice seemed   
to drag on, as though trying to make out something, "…Makibi?"  
  
"Yes, I do." Tenchi felt odd, answering a stranger's question just like   
that. "Say, who are you, anyway?"  
  
"I am Kiyone's doctor. Please be informed that she… what…?" The person on   
the other side of the line seemed to be talking to someone else. "Hmm…oh,   
well, as you wish." Back to Tenchi, "Hang on a moment, Mr Masaki." There   
was some noise that the mystified Tenchi managed to make out as that of a   
phone changing hands.  
  
"Tenchi?" Kiyone's voice came on the line, but it sounded weak. "You   
there?"  
  
"Yes, Kiyone. What's wrong?"  
  
"I'm not feeling very well, so me and Mihoshi are returning to our   
apartment now. I was wondering if you could bring the lunch Sasami saved   
for me over there. I'd appreciate some food when I get back."  
  
"Yeah, no problem. Is your illness serious?"  
  
"No, I'm more or less fine, but I'd like it if you didn't come over to my   
place for the rest of the day. I need some peace and quiet."  
  
"Erm, right." Tenchi wondered how Kiyone could ever expect to get any   
peace and quiet with Mihoshi hovering around her. The person on the other   
side of the line seemed to read his thoughts.  
  
"Don't worry, I'll think of some way to send Mihoshi off somewhere."  
  
"Are you sure you'll be fine by yourself? Do you need Sasami or someone   
to take care of you?"  
  
"I'll manage, but right now I'm starving. Please, do get my food over,   
Tenchi. Thanks."  
  
Tenchi recoiled his head in surprise as he heard the click before the   
line went dead.  
  
"Tenchi, who was that?" Aeka asked from beside him, her face looking   
rather perturbed, and with slight edge in her voice.  
  
"Yeah, who was that, huh?" Ryoko looked menacingly at him. "Any girl I   
know?" Her right hand was clenched into a fist.  
  
Beside Ryoko, Washu was deep in thought, her hand spinning the gun about.  
  
She had always been used to logical, scientific deductions, but not used   
to handling purely intuitive gut feelings. Yet she had a very strong   
feeling that whoever was on the other line was important, although the   
only person she could hear was Tenchi.  
  
"Erm, just a moment, Aeka. And Ryoko." Tenchi, trying to stop himself   
from running from the two angry stares, went into the kitchen and came out   
with a plate of rice, the lunch Sasami had saved for Kiyone. Having seen   
it, the two girls relaxed, though not completely.  
  
Washu watched Tenchi ascend the steps, wondering if she should just trace   
the call, which she could easily do. After a moment's thought, she decided   
she needed more concrete evidence before embarking on that course, and so   
she waited till Tenchi came down the stairs.  
  
"Tenchi?"  
  
"Yes, Washu?"  
  
"Who was that on the other line?"  
  
"Kiyone," Tenchi looked puzzled as Washu frowned in confusion.  
  
"Kiyone? Are you sure?" Washu looked hard at Tenchi.  
  
"Well, why not? Oh yeah, and her doctor too."  
  
"Her doctor? Hmmm…" Washu analysed the data at hand. "Could you recognise   
his voice if he called again?"  
  
Tenchi wondered where this was leading. "Well, I suppose so. Why?"  
  
"Ask him for his name. And tell me about it, okay?" Washu spoke so   
earnestly Tenchi only became more confused.  
  
"Er.. Fine, Washu, heh." He scratched his head in confusion. "Could it   
have something to do with the Tachyon Ray?"  
  
"Mmhmm." Washu distractedly pressed the trigger several times. Tenchi   
gulped.  
  
"Washu, could you not do that? It makes me nervous, you know."  
  
"Fine by me," Washu said, placing the weapon into her dress.  
  
"Say, Washu, how does that gun help in any way?" Ryoko asked.  
  
"Well, calibrated accurately, it sets up an anti flow of immaterial   
quantum or tachyon matter so that the flux transfer interference with   
another quantum or tachyon stream will lead to the creation of an anti   
matter field that will eliminate the original particle stream."  
  
Four pairs of eyes stared at her, their faces the absolute embodiment of   
the phrase nil comprehendo.  
  
"You don't get it, do you?" Washu sighed. "Well, let's try putting it   
another way. The cross paths of the original stream with this new stream   
will result in a field that will neutralise the original effect, given an   
exact variable data."  
  
"Try again," Sasami said, encouragingly. "I think I nearly got it."  
  
"This blaster…" Washu, eyes narrowing, spoke slowly and distinctly. "…can   
cancel out the Tachyon Ray effect if set correctly."  
  
"There!" Ryoko said, feigning pride. "See what even Washu can do if she   
sets her mind to it!"  
  
Washu gave Ryoko a glare full of daggers, and the space pirate shrank   
back. Tenchi gave her a frantic look and Ryoko, taking the hint, quickly   
vanished as Washu's fingers hovered over her keyboard.  
  
"Washu, what happens if the configurations are not set correctly?" Sasami   
asked.  
  
Washu thought a little. "Well, for this to neutralise the Tachyon Ray,   
you have to input the exact negative amount for the three dimensional   
settings for the gun. If one were off…" She shrugged. "The effect could   
vary. If only by a little, one or two extra molecules could cease to   
exist, nothing the universe couldn't handle."  
  
"What if it's by quite a bit?"  
  
"Well, though I haven't actually experimented with negative feedback for   
the ray, I think it could get pretty, well, ugly."  
  
Tenchi gulped. "So what you're saying if we use this to try to cancel the   
other ray's effect, we must get the settings right."  
  
"Mmmhmm."  
  
"If it is set too low, the first ray just weakens and proceeds to kill   
us."  
  
"Correct." Washu did not seem bothered by the prospect at all.  
  
"And if it is set too high, it will be as though we fired another ray at   
them."  
  
"Right again." Washu grinned at Tenchi. "You are pretty good for a non   
Academy student." Tenchi sat down, his expression saying plainly that he   
did not think highly at all of Washu's invention's utility. "But not   
exactly right. The negative feedback does not destroy, it overloads. A   
star may expand into a supernova, a planet implode as its core superheats,   
a ship explode as its engines and weapons burst. Not quite the same, but   
about there."  
  
"So how are we suppose to help you get it back?" Aeka questioned.  
  
"I don't know, really. Find me the fellow who took it, I guess. His alias   
at the Academy was Yoda Shiro, but I doubt he'd be using the name.   
Checking the GP files, the fellow could be any one out of over a a hundred   
and fifty-six Space Criminals."  
  
Tenchi's eyes widened in surprise. "That sure doesn't sound easy, Washu."  
  
"Relax, Tenchi, I've got all their names up here in my head. If he uses   
his real name, I'll recognise it. Being a genius may not all it's cracked   
up to be, but there's enough perks to make me want to remain as one!" She   
smiled brightly, and Koneko mewed in agreement.  
  
Tenchi shook his head. Sometimes, things were just so crazy.  
  
===========================================================  
  
Kiyone and Mihoshi headed for their job at the Fujima Florists cum   
Delivery Department.  
  
"Kiyone?" The owner of the shop asked as they arrived.  
  
"Mmm, what, Mrs Surahito?" Kiyone asked, surprised. Usually she just   
asked them to start their work immediately.  
  
"Have you eaten your dinner yet?"  
  
"No. Why?"  
  
"Someone just dropped by saying you might want this." The rather elderly   
lady passed her a warm plastic packet that looked as if it contained food.   
"Do you?"  
  
Kiyone smiled delightedly, and took it over. "Yes, indeed I do." She did   
look forward to tasting his cooking. It was not as good as Sasami's, but   
that was about it for whom she thought was a better chef.  
  
Mihoshi looked downcast. "Where's mine?"  
  
"We'll share, if you like." Kiyone laughed, opening the packet.  
  
Oh my, it does smell very good! Just like Sasami's cooking…  
  
"Hey, didn't I eat that for lunch?" Mihoshi exclaimed.  
  
"You what?" Kiyone turned to her in shock, one of the two spoons that was   
in the packet already in her hand.  
  
"I… forgot to tell them not to keep some food for you…" Mihoshi added.  
  
"But it feels warm!" Kiyone said. Carefully tasting a bit of the food,   
there could be no doubt. "Sasami cooked this all right. I wonder how it   
got here… Mrs Surahito, who dropped this by here?"  
  
"It was this chap, wearing a cap and blue jeans, with hair, just nice.   
Good complexion and so polite too. Rather handsome. Didn't ask me if you   
worked here, just asked me to pass this to you," Her eyes narrowed a   
little. "Say, Kiyone, is he your…?"  
  
"Erm, no…" Kiyone hastily turned away to hide the blush, while Mihoshi   
giggled.  
  
"Kiyone, it *was* him! I think so!" Turning to their employer… "Kiyone's   
got really great taste, doesn't she? Too bad I didn't get to see his fa…"  
  
"Mihoshi!!" Kiyone roared. "Pipe down!" She wished she had an extra hand   
to clamp Mihoshi's mouth shut.  
  
"Well, ladies, I don't care if you have boyfriends or ex-husbands or   
whatever. Just quickly finish the meal, and get to work."  
  
===========================================================  
  
At last, a patient!  
  
A rather young lady walked in through the door, wearing a purple silk   
dress, looking a little skeptically at him, seated behind his desk, with   
his greying hair and moustache and pedantic spectacles.  
  
"Dr Kashiro, I presume?"  
  
"Yes. How may I help you?" He leaned back in his chair.  
  
"This is a pretty shabby place you've got here, doctor." Her eyes took in   
his cramped apartment. "I've never seen you around this area, nor heard of   
you."  
  
"Ah, yes indeed. I have been living on my savings for over fifteen years,   
but some rather unsound financial activities last year required I return   
to my practice. Impoverished though I am, I believe you will find I have   
no lack of qualifications." He swept his hand in a semi circle, indicating   
the walls, where at least six medical certificates were framed up.  
  
"Very well, doctor." She took a seat before his consulting table,   
although her demeanour was still a little haughty.  
  
"The complaint?"  
  
"Well, if you really must know…" the lady said patronisingly.  
  
"No. I don't." He snatched a quick look at the mini-computer he had   
placed on the ground behind his desk, one of the few things he had   
salvaged from his original ship. It was positioned between his feet and   
covered on all sides such that no one could see it unless he got out of   
the chair.  
  
Rummaging in his drawers, he took out two bottles of pills and laid it on   
the table, and started pointing at them. "This is for your diarrhoea, this   
is for your headache. Dosage and instructions are on the labels. "   
Reaching for a little tube of cream, "Apply once every three hours to your   
burn. It will help it heal faster. As for the fever, drink this." He   
reached behind him and poured a cup of what looked like plain water out.   
"Take this and it will be fine by tomorrow." He pushed the cup over to the   
bewildered lady.  
  
"How…how did you know?"  
  
"Trade secrets, madam," He smiled at her and watched her eyes narrow at   
being addressed as an older lady. "Drink it up and take the rest." He   
pushed the things over before her, and watched, amused, as she kept them   
in her bag. "That will be seven thousand yen, please."  
  
Too amazed to comment, the lady paid up and walked out.  
  
Within the next half an hour, he handled sixteen more patients, while the   
line formed outside his apartment.  
  
===========================================================  
  
Aeka stopped crooning as the door opened, out of surprise.  
  
"Kiyone? Mihoshi?"  
  
"Uh, hi everyone!" Mihoshi brightly waved a hand .  
  
"Kiyone!" Tenchi was as surprised as the rest of them. "Why are you here?   
Are you feeling better?" She certainly seemed fine.  
  
"Hmmm?" Kiyone's face was blank for an instant, then, "Oh, yes, I'm   
feeling better now!"  
  
"I thought you were sick, Kiyone," Sasami sounded a little worried. "Did   
you like the lunch I saved for you?"  
  
"It was very tasty, Sasami, I loved it!" Kiyone mentally grasped around   
for a clue of what was going on.  
  
Mihoshi looked totally puzzled. "But Kiyone wasn't… Mmmph!"  
  
"But your doctor called up and you even told Tenchi about it!" Sasami   
said, looking a little uneasy. Tenchi looked curiously at Kiyone,   
remembering how Washu told him the call might have been important.  
  
My doctor… Kiyone's mind worked quickly. So that's how he got my dinner   
for me!  
  
"Well, I'm feeling better now, so it doesn't matter! And thanks for   
sending my lunch over, Sasami!" Kiyone added brightly, her hand still   
maintaining a tight grip over Mihoshi's mouth.  
  
"You're welcome!" Sasami smiled, then thought again. "But didn't you know   
Tenchi was the one who brought it to your apartment?"  
  
"Er.. no, I didn't! It was just there when I got back, so I just thought   
it would be you who brought it over." Kiyone had a sheepish expression on   
her face.  
  
"Well, I didn't, because we were listening to Washu talk about why she   
came back. Only she waited for Tenchi anyway before continuing."  
  
"Oh, she did, did she?" Kiyone looked around. "Say, where is she?"  
  
"Back in her lab. Tenchi and I managed to persuade her to work on another   
way to do things so that the person could not get a chance to fire her ray   
before being apprehended." Aeka said, feeling a little irritated at the   
way the music was carrying on without her accompaniment.  
  
"Well, that certainly makes me feel a lot better." Ryoko sounded   
disgruntled, even though she had one arm draped around Tenchi's shoulder.   
"Washu wasn't in the best of moods. I was so worried she'd turn me into   
something I actually had to leave!"  
  
"You know, Ryoko, it all just goes to show your mind is so feeble you   
have no control over what you say, it all comes out so offensive," Aeka   
pointed out. "Oh, I forgot, you just *are* offensive." She gave a high   
pitched chuckle.  
  
"And you, princess, are such a pain-in-the-neck. Why don't you mind your   
own business, you royal nosey-parker." Ryoko growled. Tenchi gulped   
fearfully as he felt the sparks crackle from the hand beside his neck.  
  
Kiyone quickly removed her hand from Mihoshi's mouth and the two   
detectives prepared to dive for cover.  
  
"You dare call me a nosey-parker, you…you criminal!" The music died as   
Aeka screamed. It seemed even the Karoke machine feared what was going to   
happen.  
  
"Well I dare, and I can, call you anything I like, Little Miss Stupid!"  
  
"You…you are totally incorrigible, Ryoko!"  
  
"And you're a totally spoilt brat, princess!"  
  
Tenchi closed his eyes, willing his legs not to run, as orange sparks   
swirled around beside him and ice blue nimbus formed in front of him.  
  
"Grr…"  
  
"Grr…"  
  
"Stop it, you two!" Tenchi shouted.  
  
Ryoko and Aeka looked at him, eyes still smouldering.  
  
"Well, we shall take our fight elsewhere, right, princess?" Ryoko spat.   
"Unless, of course, you're too chicken!"  
  
"Me! I'll not be called names by the likes of you, Ryoko! I will have you   
know how powerful I am!"  
  
"Stop it!"  
  
"Don't worry, Tenchi! I can take care of myself!" Ryoko.  
  
"Fear not, Lord Tenchi! I can never fall before the likes of her!" Aeka.  
  
"I said, STOP IT!" Tenchi shouted at the top of his voice.  
  
"Huh?" The two girls stopped, taken aback.  
  
Tenchi's face was red, and his eyes were full of anger. His hands were   
balled into fists, and though he did not have the power of the two ladies   
by his side, the tone of his voice was something new to them.  
  
Kiyone stood up to watch.  
  
This is interesting. I wonder will Kova ever have to shout me down like   
that.  
  
She trembled at the image her mind conjured.  
  
Well, I guess I'll scream back at him if that happens.  
  
No, that didn't work very well, if I remember correctly.  
  
She shook her head to clear her mind and see what happens. Mihoshi also   
popped her head over Kiyone's shoulder to watch.  
  
"We were going to go out to…" Aeka attempted.  
  
"Stop fighting!" Tenchi's furious eyes stared at the two girls, and they   
actually seemed to shrink before his baleful gaze. "Not here, not there,   
not outside, not anywhere!"  
  
"Well she started it!" Ryoko cried, sounding hurt.  
  
"She's the offensive one!" Aeka screeched, sounding distressed.  
  
"I don't care about that!" Tenchi shouted back at them.  
  
Then he saw them wilt before his blast. The way Ryoko cringed, yellow   
eyes communicating fear and pain, while Aeka cowered, purple eyes stripped   
bare of pride by alarm.  
  
His shoulders slumped, and he sighed.  
  
I seem to have been doing a lot of that recently.  
  
"What I care about is that the two of you not get hurt," he concluded,   
softly.  
  
Ryoko and Aeka looked at him, then at each other.  
  
"That goes for both of you," Tenchi said, then sank back into the couch,   
emotionally drained.  
  
Aeka looked at him, then at Ryoko, her eyes saying clearly, we'll settle   
this some other time.  
  
Ryoko responded with a similar glare. You're on, princess.  
  
His weary eyes noting the exchange, Tenchi forced himself upright again.   
"Aeka, Ryoko, please don't," he said.  
  
The two of them looked at him, the same thought in their minds.  
  
Will he blow up again if we try something like that?  
  
Tenchi realised he would have to end the thing. "Apologise to Ryoko,   
Aeka. For calling her a… I don't remember, just apologise, okay?"  
  
Ryoko smirked as Aeka fumed, her heart aching.  
  
Why did Tenchi choose only me!? How could he do this to me!? Aeka tried   
to fight the horrible realisation that Tenchi loved Ryoko over her.  
  
Ryoko smirked again as Aeka fought her inner turmoil.  
  
Looks like I win, princess. Come on, apologise!  
  
"You too, Ryoko!"  
  
"Huh?" Ryoko turned, wide eyed, at Tenchi. "Tenchiiii!!"  
  
"Don't 'Tenchiii' me! I don't care if you didn't start it, you also   
called Aeka names, so there!"  
  
Ryoko looked at Aeka, bile rising in her throat, at having been betrayed   
by Tenchi in her moment of triumph. Well, at least he first asked Aeka to   
apologise.  
  
Aeka didn't know what to think, just wondered if Tenchi did love her   
after all.  
  
"I'm waiting." Tenchi's annoyance was implicit in his voice.  
  
Aeka suddenly realised, if I apologise first, Tenchi will think I'm   
forgiving.  
  
Ryoko also understood, if I step back first, Tenchi will think I'm   
magnanimous.  
  
"I'm sorry," the two girls stared at each other, surprised at the   
simultaneous apology.  
  
"Whew… so no fighting, okay?" Tenchi said, his face stern, like a   
lecturer. The two girls bowed before him like they were little kids being   
scolded.  
  
"It was kinda silly, wasn't it, Aeka?" Ryoko murmured.  
  
"I suppose it was, Ryoko… What do you think, Kiyone?"  
  
Kiyone nodded, looking. So did Sasami, who stood beside her.  
  
"I think you're both acting like babies, and that it's very hard for   
Tenchi." Aeka's little sister pointed out.  
  
"So I guess we make up now, huh?" Ryoko asked. Aeka nodded and extended a   
hand.  
  
Ryoko grasped it.  
  
Now that didn't feel so bad, she thought.  
  
Hmm, that wasn't as undignified as I thought, Aeka reflected.  
  
Tenchi suddenly beamed, his expression happy and bright like that of a   
rainbow after a storm.  
  
Aeka and Ryoko, hands still held, watched in unbridled astonishment.  
  
He looks so… blissful.  
  
Then, for the first time, Tenchi hugged both the two girls of his own   
accord, his arms going around them and pressing them close to him and to   
each other.  
  
"Thank you, Ryoko. Thank you Aeka." He murmured, his lips just beside   
their ears, his voice quavering. "You've given me joy, made me more happy   
than I thought I could be, and I thank you." He squeezed them a little   
harder, as Aeka and Ryoko basked in the radiance of his love together,   
each unnoticed by the other, inhabiting and rejoicing within their own   
half of paradise.  
  
Oh, Tenchi… Kiyone smiled, holding Sasami's hand. You've done it!  
  
Mihoshi sniffed and brushed a tear away.  
  
Disturbing thoughts returned to Kiyone. Was Mihoshi touched, or was she   
also pining for Tenchi? There was no way of knowing.  
  
Could me and Kova ever be as such? If so, what future is there in store   
for us?  
  
If there was any at all?  
  
Too frightened to think, Kiyone's eyes dimmed and she averted her eyes.  
  
Tenchi let go of the two girls, eyes shining, face beaming.  
  
Aeka, at last you show yourself, he thought as he absorbed her   
appearance, her radiant face and loving eyes made her look that much more   
a feeling belle than a crystal princess on a pedestal.  
  
Ryoko, you are not much different either. The space pirate's face had lit   
up, a rosy colour flowing into her face, her joy making her look unusually   
refined and beautiful, almost like a fairy.  
  
Oh, that this moment could last forever!  
  
Kiyone, unable to contain her envy, fear, and apprehension the splendid   
harmony instilled in her, suddenly yanked her hand from Sasami's and ran   
out of the room.  
  
"Kiyone!" Sasami called out as she fled.  
  
The spell broke.  
  
"What's wrong? Kiyone!" Sasami made off after her.  
  
As one, Aeka, Ryoko and Tenchi turned to face the open door as the little   
princess went out, followed by Mihoshi.  
  
"I'm sorry," Tenchi began, as he prepared to take off after them.  
  
"Don't be," Aeka smiled, taking his hand and gently steering him in the   
direction of the door.  
  
"Go ahead, Tenchi," Ryoko waved, a little of her joy still remaining on   
her face. Teleporting beside him, she gave him a brief hug before   
vanishing. Tenchi felt Aeka gently squeeze his hand, before letting him   
go, then he was out of the room.  
  
===========================================================  
  
All she could see was darkness, darkness all around, soft and velvety,   
but darkness nevertheless. She reached for her blaster, to be ready to   
handle any threat that might loom out, but her hand clutched empty air.   
Reaching for her yo-yo, she found it also had gone. She was alone and   
defenceless in the darkness.  
  
Kova… she tried to call him.  
  
Slowly, she watched him walk out of the darkness, but his gait was cold   
and firm, his shoulders held high like a shadow over her. The darkness   
drew in, rearing, waiting to pounce.  
  
Help me! She cried.  
  
Then he stepped nearer, and she saw his eyes were icy and set, his mouth   
a cruel sneer.  
  
You dare invoke help from me? He laughed.  
  
No, no, that could not be! How could he?  
  
A gleaming metal scythe suddenly appeared in his hands, cold light   
glinting off its wicked edge, eager to deal death. Grinning evilly, he   
stepped closer, the weapon raised over his head.  
  
Please, Kova! Don't!  
  
The scythe arced down.  
  
KOVA-CHAN!  
  
The blade struck the darkness before her, splitting the fabric of it   
open.  
  
Flee, Kiyone-chan! Flee! His blue eyes implored her. She saw the vengeful   
shadows hurl themselves on him. The gleaming scythe fell from his   
nerveless hands to the ground and vanished as she rolled into the small   
gap of light.  
  
He was struggling, but the shadows tugged at him like a toy and laughed   
sadistically.  
  
Flee! The last thing she seemed to read in his eyes, before he was   
swallowed into the void.  
  
"Kiyone…" Someone was shaking her.  
  
"Kova… Kova-chan…" Kiyone turned around and looked into blue eyes. "Oh…   
you're safe!" Relieved, she pulled the person close.  
  
"Erm, Kiyone. Kiyone?" That voice didn't sound like his. It didn't even   
sound like a he…  
  
"Mihoshi…?" Kiyone looked up into her partner's face.  
  
"Kiyone, are you all right?" Mihoshi asked, as Kiyone slowly turned her   
head, looking around at the ring of concerned faces. Tenchi, Sasami, Aeka   
and Ryoko were all staring at her.  
  
"I…" she moved back, lying down, and felt something wet behind her head.   
She turned around and saw the armrest of the couch, stained wet by some   
liquid. "…am not feeling well…" Gingerly she touched her eyes. They felt   
puffed up and wet.  
  
"Kiyone, did something happen to upset you?" Sasami asked, concern   
showing on her little face.  
  
"Was it because of what I did?" Tenchi asked. The Kiyone before him, with   
her eyes puffed up, tear marks on her face, seemed a very different Kiyone   
from the one that had almost ordered him to love Aeka and Ryoko. Surely it   
couldn't be that she…  
  
"No. It had nothing to do with you. It's just…" Kiyone trembled a little.   
"… that it made me think of something, not so pleasant." She rubbed her   
eyes with her hands, and Ryoko passed her a tissue paper. "Don't worry   
about me. I'll manage, but for now I'd like to be alone."  
  
"That's what you said this afternoon, and look at you now." Tenchi   
chided. Kiyone flinched as she recalled who might have actually said that.  
  
"I'll manage, seriously. Is it okay, if Mihoshi stayed over here tonight?   
I need some peace and quiet." She tried smiling at Mihoshi, but it just   
did not come out right. "Good night, Mihoshi."  
  
Slowly, seemingly painfully, she got up, and walked up the stairs, back   
straight and body erect. The only sign of her weakness was her slow step.  
  
"Kiyone, are you sure you don't need Sasami or someone to take care of   
you for a while?"  
  
She shook her head stubbornly, and headed for the door to her apartment.  
  
===========================================================  
  
Finally, he had closed for the night. He was tired and weary, at having   
to deal with so many mundane matters all at once. Closing his weary eyes,   
he massaged his temple and forehead, a technique he had found useful on   
his long journeys through space.  
  
Dr Kashiro had made a rather large handful of money on his first day, but   
somehow, it did not seem as important as it was anymore. The money was in   
a bag by his side, but he had been too tired to even count it as he would   
have in days long gone.  
  
The work had served as an important respite, and he had hoped it would   
tire him out. Not physically, of course, as that was nearly impossible   
with his enhancements, but mentally, so he could stop thinking of her for   
a while and be himself, to see things more clearly. But no, it had not   
worked, and his thoughts were returning to her.  
  
He was not sleepy, but he was tired. He wondered if she was too, if she   
had rested enough, if she had enjoyed the meal he conned from Tenchi. He   
wondered if she was thinking about him, how she felt about him. She didn't   
take it easily, he knew. She always tried to keep herself busy, involved   
in things, observing and deducing, but that's because she needed to keep   
her mind off the subject.  
  
I hope she can take it well enough so it does not cause her undue   
distress.  
  
He cursed his wayward mind.  
  
I really must get sleep, some peace of mind! He told himself, and forced   
himself to lie down.  
  
Moments later he was heading for her apartment.  
  
===========================================================  
  
"Oh, poor Kiyone." Sasami sighed, and Tenchi stood beside her. Some   
distance before them, her head on the base of her futon, Kiyone lay on the   
ground, still in her ordinary clothing rather than pyjamas, apparently   
asleep, but tossing fitfully rather often. Her green hair was stained dark   
by her tears, and she murmured inaudible things. She seemed to have   
collapsed into sleep the instant she saw she was near her resting place.  
  
"I really hopes she gets over this." Tenchi spoke very softly. "Whatever   
it is. Come now, Sasami. There is nothing more we can do for her." He led   
the little girl over to the door.  
  
"Good night, Kiyone." Sasami said, before returning to Tenchi's house.   
Tenchi took a last concerned look at her, then the door closed, shimmered   
and faded away.  
  
Seeing Tenchi leave at last, he slipped into the room and stood over her,   
taking care not to cover her in his shadow.  
  
"I'm so sorry, Kiyone-chan," he murmured under his breath, as he made out   
the lines her tears had left on her face. Watching her with sad, soft   
eyes, he saw her turn again, rumpling up her futon.  
  
===========================================================  
  
Kova knelt before her, bound in chains of metal and energy. She was   
holding a blaster, and she saw him flinch as she put it to his temple. All   
around her GP officers sat, watching, awaiting his execution.  
  
I put myself in your hands, Kiyone, his eyes seemed to say, before she,   
too ashamed to look at him, turned away.  
  
The Marshall gave the command.  
  
Fire!  
  
Her finger did not push back the trigger, but she still heard the click,   
like a thunder in the silent amphitheatre, and she felt the blaster shake   
from the recoil.  
  
Then there was a wet thud beside her.  
  
===========================================================  
  
Tears streamed out of her eyes as Kova watched, his blue eyes intent and   
sad. Kiyone gave a sort of gasping breath, as though trying to breathe as   
she drowned in her tears.  
  
"Kova…" he heard her whisper brokenly, almost inaudibly.  
  
His heart seemed to want to break from the yearning in her voice.  
  
Unable to stop himself, he knelt down by her and took her hand.  
  
"I'm here, Kiyone-chan. I am here."  
  
"Kova-chan…" She half sobbed, half whispered, her other hand reaching   
out. He gently took hold of it too, feeling her soft flesh warm and   
flushed against his fingers.  
  
"Kiyone-chan, I'm here." He whispered, pressing one of her hands to his   
chest, as he bent over and kissed her other hand.  
  
She was bathed in light, and the angry stares of the entire GP   
organisation stared down at her from unknown numbers of tiers. She heard   
the Marshall's voice ring out, cold and angry.  
  
"Kiyone, you have betrayed your oath and your duty as a Galaxy Police   
Officer, and for such an unpardonable offence, we have sentenced you to   
die!"  
  
"Noo! Noo! You can't do that!" She saw a tearful Mihoshi run out, only to   
be manhandled and dragged back into and lost in the midst of the faceless   
crowd. "Kiyone's my partner!"  
  
"Kiyone-chan, I'm here." She turned as she felt someone take her hand,   
and looked straight at him, who had suddenly appeared by her side.  
  
"What are you doing here!? You will die!!" She almost screamed at him.  
  
"It's okay. You are not alone." He took her other hand. "Wherever you go,   
I will follow." He held her hand to his heart, the other to his lips, and   
kissed it lightly. "Whatever roads you choose, Kiyone-chan, we will walk   
them together."  
  
"Kova-chan…"  
  
"Execute them!"  
  
She heard the blasts of lasers, saw the bursts of gold and silver. He   
seemed to move to hold her, as a shot struck him in the back, and she felt  
the pain burst through her chest and go out behind. Then she was looking at   
his face, transfixed in that soft smile, and slowly, they sank down to the   
ground…  
  
===========================================================  
  
She was certainly not awake when her eyelids fluttered half open, and   
felt him holding her hands, one to his left chest, the other before his   
face. It was not in bright light, not under countless glares of her GP   
colleagues, but in the soft, Prussian blue dark of the night.  
  
His face raised from her hand, and she dimly saw his blue eyes glimmer in   
the dark.  
  
"Kova-chan," she smiled. "We are dead…?"  
  
"No, Kiyone-chan, we are not." He smiled back. "Rest now, the nightmare   
is over. I'm with you now." Gently, he let go of her hands, and slid one   
arm around her shoulders, and the other one under her knees, lifting her   
up. She could feel the light shining somewhere as the blue around turned   
slightly lighter. "Come, you must rest."  
  
"You are taking me to the light?" She asked, smiling innocently as the   
light glinted off her drying tears. He blinked his own tears away as he   
saw how vulnerable she was in the faint light, half-asleep, lost in a   
dream, almost like a helpless, innocent babe, wearing that sad yet   
blissful smile he knew he would probably never see on her in her waking   
hours. "And we shall walk the heavens together…"  
  
"Hush. Someday maybe, but not yet." Having taken the few steps, he laid   
her down gently, so that her whole body lay full on her futon, steadily   
regarding her guileless green eyes, so clear and so different from herself   
in the days.  
  
"Not yet…?" She laughed, soft and lilting laughter that seemed to tinkle   
in his ears. "As long as I'm with you…" He nodded tersely as his hands   
slowly pulled the covers over her body, struggling not to show how sad he   
was to see her reduced to such a state because of him. Having seen her   
comfortably settled in, he turned…  
  
Something gripped his wrist, tightly. Very tightly.  
  
"Don't go…" Kiyone pleaded. "Please, Kova-chan…" Already he could see the   
tears well in her eyes. She probably thinks she's just dreaming, but every   
time she still cries anyway…  
  
This time she won't.  
  
"Hush, now, relax, Kiyone-chan. I'll stay, I'll stay." He held her hand   
and ran his other hand over her face. She looked so sweet, so happy, with   
him by his side. Her other hand reached for him, and he held it too,   
enjoying the warm feel of her hand on his.  
  
She was so different in life, he felt so sorry he had caused this much   
pain to her, he really didn't know what to do.  
  
She must be very mentally drained. I must let her rest.  
  
"Sleep, Kiyone-chan, sleep. I will stay, I will watch over you. Sleep."   
Her neck muscles seemed to relax a little, and her eyes looked straight up   
at the ceiling, but still he could feel her fingers caressing his hands.   
"Sleep now." His hand quickly ran down her face, closing her eyes in the   
process, and he squeezed her hand so she would not open her eyes to see if   
he was still there.  
  
Her hand continued to feel him, but after a time gradually her fingers   
ceased wandering about, but just clung on, not too tightly, and he knew   
Kiyone was rested in wholesome sleep again, no longer plagued by   
nightmares born of her waking fears.  
  
I will stay, I will watch over you.  
  
His hands holding on to hers, not moving, Kova sat there and watched   
Kiyone sleep, breathing gently, in and out, evenly. Taking a cloth from   
his pocket, he gently wiped the tear marks off her face, his smile tender   
yet troubled, sweet yet sorrowful.  
  
Sweet dreams, Kiyone-chan.  
  
===========================================================  
  
"Tenchi! Tenchi!"  
  
Tenchi awoke to the sound of someone shrieking softly in fright at him.   
"Wha… What it is it?" He sat up groggily in his bed, leaning on his   
elbows, as his eyes focused on the person before him. "Oh, Sasami! What   
time is it?"  
  
"Tenchi! There's someone with Kiyone!"  
  
"Huh!?" Tenchi's eyes opened, and he sat bolt upright, wide awake. "Are   
you sure!?"  
  
"Mmmhmm. I couldn't sleep very well last night, seeing Kiyone so   
troubled, so I thought I'd make an early breakfast. I passed by the door,   
and well, I thought I ought to check on her.." She explained as she   
followed Tenchi who was hurrying down the somewhat dim corridor.  
  
"Then?"  
  
"Then I saw this shadow by her, it was so still, like some kind of statue   
or a spirit, and I didn't know what to do, so I just came to find you."  
  
"What about Aeka?" Tenchi asked as he knocked on the wall, and the door   
materialised.  
  
"She didn't see how bad Kiyone was last night as she slept, did she?"  
  
"But I haven't any super powers!" Tenchi appeared worried as he looked at   
the blackness leading to Kiyone's apartment.  
  
"You defeated Kagato!" She cheered brightly.  
  
Tenchi took in a deep breath. "Let's go in, Sasami. If anything happens,   
run. I want you to get Ryoko and Aeka if that happens, okay?"  
  
The little girl nodded and they stepped through.  
  
Tenchi opened the door, slowly, cautiously. An inordinate number of   
windows were open, and the light filtered in with tinge of blue like the   
dawn sky. He could make out a dark figure sitting by Kiyone's sleeping   
form, that appeared to be tilted slightly towards him.  
  
That's funny, I thought Kiyone had fallen asleep on the floor, not on her   
futon.  
  
Signalling to Sasami to stay back, Tenchi crept slowly over, his bare   
feet making no sound, and his eyes adjusting better to the light. Now he   
could see the shadow was a man, dressed in a black jacket and dark blue   
jeans. His head was tilted slightly forward towards Kiyone, but his back   
was a little too straight to be right, while his legs were crossed as he   
sat by her. He did not seem to have noticed Tenchi although the boy was   
almost upon him. Tenchi, close enough to see past his body, saw that both   
his hands were clasped over Kiyone's.  
  
The figure suddenly turned towards slightly towards him, feeling Tenchi's   
warm breath on the air nearby. Tenchi could just make out blue eyes   
gleaming in the dark. Sasami yelped softly in fear, and it seemed to   
Tenchi he was confronted not by a man, but by a caged animal, that would   
slay him in a few moments so it could be undisturbed.  
  
"Tenchi Masaki?" He heard him whisper, his voice just barely audible. The   
fire in the eyes had died, he had returned to facing Kiyone, and Tenchi   
felt somehow that the night was still again.  
  
"Who are you?" Tenchi probed, his voice a little loud.  
  
"Softer, Tenchi." He turned back to Kiyone. "Do not wake her. She needs   
to rest."  
  
"Who are you and what are you doing here?" He hissed softly, trying not   
to show his impatience. The man's head was bowed over Kiyone, and he did   
not bother with Tenchi. "What have you done to Kiyone?" There was no   
answer. "Answer me!"  
  
"Given her rest." Kova's hand slowly stroked Kiyone's.  
  
An ugly suspicion suddenly leaped into Tenchi's mind.  
  
"If you've done anything to her…" His voice rose in a crescendo as he   
threatened. "I'll… gaack…!" He fought to breathe, his throat gripped by a   
hand that seemed to have shot out faster than his grandfather's bokken   
stroke.  
  
"I haven't. But if you don't learn to keep your voice down, I'll do   
something to you." His soft voice, almost inaudible, rung full of menace,   
though his gaze was still fixed on Kiyone. Then the fingers let go and   
Tenchi tried not to gasp too loud. Sasami breathed a sigh of relief. "I   
believe you mean well, Tenchi. You may ask your questions, but I may not   
answer all of them. And speak softly."  
  
Tenchi massaged his throat, fearful but curious.  
  
"Don't tell anyone else about this, and please send Sasami back, or   
you'll learn nothing from me."  
  
Tenchi's eyes narrowed. "If you think I'm stupid…"  
  
"Maybe you are. I don't know, and I don't care." Tenchi blinked at Kova's   
comment. It reminded him of Ryoko. "Sasami may stay, but I'll say   
nothing."  
  
Turning around, Tenchi gently waved Sasami away. Looking at her   
apprehensive face, he smiled and gave the okay sign. Sasami looked back at   
the door, and crept over.  
  
"Tenchi, who is he?"  
  
He shook his head. "I'm as lost as you are. Just remember not to tell   
anyone about this."  
  
"Will you be all right? I was so scared when he grabbed you."  
  
"I'll be fine, I think. Now get back and get breakfast. The others will   
be getting up soon." He could see that the sky was brightening.  
  
Sasami gave him a worried look, then hurried back into the doorway.  
  
Tenchi turned back to Kova, who was once again still as a statue.  
  
"Did you do anything to Kiyone?" The only sigh of life Tenchi could make   
out was the way his hair moved a little in the cool dawn breeze. "I know   
you said you haven't, but are you sure?"  
  
"All I did was to know her." The lips moved for a moment, and stopped.  
  
"I mean, did you…?"  
  
Kova remained still.  
  
"Do… you know… er…" How did you put it? He asked himself "Er.. like do   
that?"  
  
No reaction.  
  
"Do that, you know, that thing… with her?"  
  
The neck snapped into action and for the first time Tenchi saw his whole   
face. His skin was fair, and his complexion flawless, his fringe forming   
in two arches over his head. His blue eyes blazed as his furious gaze was   
transfixed on Tenchi, and his mouth was curled open slightly in something   
of a snarl.  
  
"How dare you." His voice was soft, still detached from his agitated   
expression. "You dare insult her, and myself. I'd never do such a thing   
unless she wanted me to, and she'd never ask for that until she was   
certain, certain of us and our future." His breath escaped from between   
his teeth like the hiss of an angry serpent. Then he seemed to calm down,   
and the transfixing stare left him, much to Tenchi's relief. "You, Tenchi,   
I believe you have a lot of ladies with you. Which one have you bedded?"  
  
Tenchi bit his lip, trying not to retort angrily.  
  
"Ryoko, Washu? Mihoshi, or is it Aeka?"  
  
Speechless with fury, he tried to remain silent. Remembering his   
grandfather's words, 'Never fight who you cannot defeat.'  
  
"Sasami?" The mocking voice.  
  
"You…" Tenchi snarled.  
  
"All of them?"  
  
A hand reached over and gripped him again, choking his cry of fury before   
it escaped him.  
  
"And now you know how I felt when you asked that of me."  
  
Tenchi felt part of his anger evaporate at that accusation. Feeling him   
relax, the hand let go again. Tenchi stood up, fearful and annoyed,   
massaging the life back into his throat once more.  
  
"Tenchi, I need your help." The human statue spoke.  
  
"Why?" He asked coldly.  
  
"Kiyone mustn't know I've been here."  
  
"Who are you? Why should I even listen to you?" He glared, angered. His   
neck still felt the vice-like grip of Kova's hold.  
  
"Kiyone will decide if you should know who I am." A pause. "Do you   
agree?"  
  
"Yeah, of course. Or you'll kill me."  
  
"Nonsense. I heard Yosho was badly hurt by Kagato. So who killed Kagato,   
then? I couldn't access your data from Yagami, but the evidence seems to   
point to you, though I find that hard to believe."  
  
"I find that hard to believe too."  
  
"So you don't know how to use your powers fully." He seemed to toy with   
the thought of defeating the most powerful person in the universe. "Never   
mind, you'll learn in time."  
  
"Just tell me what you intend for Kiyone."  
  
"I wish her nothing but the best, and to give her the best I can possibly   
give." Tenchi felt respect rise in him for the stranger who sat before   
him, his whole being emanating nothing but the truest sincerity for what   
he had just spoken. "Will you keep my visit from Kiyone?"  
  
Tenchi nodded.  
  
If only I could do the same for Ryoko or Aeka. But I can't..  
  
"Thank you, Tenchi. Now if you wish to, please stay with me till she   
awakes."  
  
=== End of Chapter ===  
  
NEXT CHAPTER : No Need for Sunshine  
  
NOTES:  
Kova is in a way, an SIed character. Pls include him in your  
comments, whether I have portrayed him as a person, as a friend  
or foe, as one of the gang, and most importantly, as a human being.  
  
I hope you have enjoyed this Fanfic as much as I have typing it.  
If there are any more grammar errors, I beg your forgiveness, as  
my sole proofreader is myself.  
  
This is my first FF, so go ahead and mail me at zyraen@yahoo.com  
with comments, especially on character portrayal, realism.  
  
  



	5. No Need for Sunshine

Disclaimer :  
Most characters in this story are property of AIC and Pioneer.  
They are in such a situation solely because of my imagination.  
This story was written purely for fun.  
  
This FF is based on the TV Series, with some powers drawn over  
from the OAV, but with no Light Hawk Wings.  
  
This story contains no sex, so please do not expect it.  
  
Before I wrote this Fanfic, I have only read 2 Fanfics, Aikan  
Muyo and To Love & To Hate. Since then I have read some others,  
and have noted some writers have a tendency to portray some  
characters inaccurately. I hope I have not fallen into that trap.  
  
That's about it, I'm a simple soul at heart...  
  
  
DARKNESS & LIGHT - No Need For Kova  
  
By Zyraen  
  
Chapter V : No Need for Sunshine  
  
"Where is Tenchi?" Ryoko asked, her eyes darting around.  
  
Aeka did not speak up or stop stroking Anako's fur, but she was equally   
perturbed. Did she have to look for him every morning just so she could   
eat her breakfast?  
  
Sasami just sat and quietly ate her food. Aeka cast a sharp glance at   
her.  
  
"You seem to be hiding something, Sasami."  
  
"Do I?" Sasami's green eyes opened wide.  
  
"Do you happen to know where Tenchi is?"  
  
"Er… erm, no."  
  
Aeka frowned. Sasami never could lie convincingly.  
  
Ryoko was quick on the uptake too. "Hey, Sasami, could you please tell us   
where Tenchi is?"  
  
Sasami sighed, knowing they had seen through her. "Uh uh." She folded her   
hands and shook her head, her blue ponytails dancing around her. "Tenchi   
said I wasn't to let you know." She watched as Aeka and Ryoko made as if   
to get up. "And, well, I think you needn't look for him. If Tenchi doesn't   
show up for breakfast, he'll probably want both of you to eat first and   
not worry about him." Just to prove her point, the little princess   
continued munching her food.  
  
"Say, where is Mihoshi?" Ryoko asked. "Didn't she stay over last night?"  
  
"I… switched off her alarm clock." Sasami answered. "I think Tenchi would   
have liked it if I did."  
  
Aeka and Ryoko stared at each other, alarm bells going off in their   
heads.  
  
Ryoko vanished as Aeka rushed up the stairs, their chopsticks still   
bouncing on the table top. Sasami stared after them, while Anako picked   
herself off the ground and went after Aeka. "You know," she said to no one   
in particular. "You really ought to trust Tenchi more. He really does like   
the two of you."  
  
Sighing, she went back to her meal.  
  
===========================================================  
  
Kiyone stirred a little.  
  
"Kova…" she seemed to say, and he felt her hands tighten around his.   
Turning to Tenchi, he nodded for him to come over.  
  
"I have to. I'm not supposed to be here." He said soothingly, as he felt   
her grip tighten even more. "Relax…" Stroking her hand, he gently coaxed   
her fingers open, his eyes signalling to Tenchi to kneel beside him.  
  
Tenchi watched as he ran his fingers through Kiyone's green hair, and she   
sighed in contentment, her muscles relaxing, her grip falling lax. The man   
gently moved his other hand out from under her fingers.  
  
"Thank you, Tenchi." He was already by the door to the outside, and then   
it shut behind him.  
  
"Kova-chan…" Tenchi just managed to catch the sound of the words. He saw   
Kiyone's fingers close gently in on air. "Kova..! Where…?" Her hands   
reached about wildly, as she sought to find him. "Where are you?" Louder   
now, he could hear her breathing rapidly.  
  
"Kiyone, wake up." He shook her a little by her shoulders.  
  
Her hands went limp, and her eyes opened slowly. Her vision was blurred,   
but gradually she managed to make out who was bent over her.  
  
"Ko.. Tenchi!" Her eyes opened wide.  
  
"Uh, yeah," he grinned sheepishly. "Tenchi. That's me all right." It   
sounded stupid but that was all he could think of saying.  
  
Kiyone sat up, and looked around frantically, eyes searching for someone.  
  
Looking at her tortured expression, Tenchi wished he could tell her he   
had gone.  
  
"Where is he?" She finally managed to say out, her head falling back onto   
her pillow.  
  
"Where is who?"  
  
"Him." She looked meaningfully at Tenchi, then at herself, with the   
covers placed neatly over her. "Where is he?"  
  
"Who? What?" Tenchi tried to pretend he did not know. "There's just me,   
Tenchi."  
  
Kiyone looked skeptically at him, and reached out a hand. Tenchi looked   
at it, puzzled.  
  
"Kiyone?"  
  
"Give me your hand." She ordered. "I need to feel it."  
  
"Uh, sure." Hesitantly, Tenchi did as she said. Her fingers closed around   
his hand, feeling his softer flesh, his thicker fingers.  
  
Kiyone's head bowed. "He was here, wasn't he?"  
  
"What? Who are you talking about?"  
  
And that was when the dimensional door to Tenchi's house burst open.  
  
"TENCHII!" Two voices screamed.  
  
"Huh?" Tenchi turned around and stared straight into Aeka and Ryoko's   
eyes, all four of them utterly consumed by jealousy. The girls were rooted   
to the spot, practically frothing at the mouth.  
  
"Kiyone!" Mihoshi giggled. "My, what a pleasant sight this is! I didn't   
know you liked Tenchi too."  
  
Tenchi and Kiyone both turned pale with dread. They looked at their hands   
held together, and as one, quickly snatched them away. Looking at the two   
horrified girls, they tried to visualise what the Ryoko and Aeka had seen.  
  
Tenchi had been beside Kiyone, who was still… in bed.  
  
Kiyone's head had been bowed before Tenchi.  
  
They had been holding hands.  
  
Worse still - the night before, Kiyone had burst out crying as Tenchi   
hugged them…  
  
Oh no. Tenchi thought. I'm dead.  
  
Oh no. Kiyone thought. I'm dead.  
  
They sat there and waited for the inevitable explosion from the princess   
and the space pirate that would blow them into irreparably microscopic   
smithereens. Already they could see orange sparks and motes of power   
crackling and focusing on Ryoko while the air around Aeka seethed and spat   
with sky blue energies.  
  
"Hold everything!" A third party burst out from the door behind Mihoshi,   
Ryoko and Aeka.  
  
"Huh?" Tenchi and Kiyone said together as the little princess, ponytails   
flying in the air, face set into a stony mask of determination, interposed   
herself between them and the two furious girls, hands held high.  
  
"Stop this, Aeka! And Ryoko!"  
  
"Scram, twerp!" Ryoko shouted. "Or I'll send you to heaven too!"  
  
"Get out of the way, Sasami!" Aeka commanded. "This is none of your   
business!"  
  
"Yes it is!" Sasami shouted. "Now stand back! I can explain this!"  
  
"We can explain this!" Tenchi added. "Really."  
  
Ryoko, her eyes seething with rage, an orange plasma beam forming in her   
hand, replied bitterly. "Go right ahead."  
  
Aeka folded her arms, still encapsulated by the shimmering power. "This   
had better good."  
  
"Look, Aeka, Ryoko, Kiyone wasn't feeling well yesterday, and Sasami   
checked on her this morning. She claimed she saw someone beside him, but,"   
Tenchi steeled himself to lie again. "when I came here there was no one.   
Sasami was worried so I told her I'd handle the situation and she could go   
whip you all up some breakfast."  
  
"Well, what else did you handle, Tenchi?" Ryoko asked acidly.  
  
Kiyone sprang up out of her futon, green eyes flashing in anger. "Well,   
whatever he was handling, it was not me." She was still wearing the   
clothing she wore the night before.  
  
"If you don't mind me saying, Kiyone, but it really did seem like he was   
handling you, if not yourself, then at least a certain part of you." Aeka   
pointedly looked at her hand.  
  
Only Sasami noticed Tenchi, who looked like he was going to cry.  
  
"That was not his fault!" she informed the two older, angrier ladies.   
"Kiyone probably wanted to see if she had been dreaming or if it was him   
she was holding." She paused. "Which she wasn't."  
  
"And how do you know, Sasami?"  
  
"I… I saw the shadow bent over her." One look at Sasami told them she was   
not lying. "And then when went to wake Tenchi… Honest! Maybe Mihoshi can   
tell us something?"  
  
Oh no! Kiyone thought. This is it. The cat is out of the bag and on the   
loose.  
  
"Oh, me?" Mihoshi looked surprised as all eyes turned on her. "Well," She   
giggled nervously, "I really don't know, but I think Kiyone has got   
another…Oh. I'm not supposed to say it, am I?"  
  
Whew, Kiyone sighed.  
  
"Say what, Mihoshi?"  
  
Kiyone's heart sank.  
  
"Well, Kiyone told me not to tell you that I had seen her out with   
another guy."  
  
Great, just great. Kiyone thought.  
  
"Oh, I see," Sasami smiled triumphantly at Aeka and Ryoko.  
  
"Was he Tenchi?" Aeka pressed.  
  
"Erm… I didn't get to see his face, but he seemed a little taller than   
Kiyone."  
  
"Are you absolutely sure?" Ryoko interrogated.  
  
"Ur… No."  
  
"So he could have been Tenchi, right?" Both of them said, and turned to   
face him again.  
  
"So, what have you got to…?"  
  
Tenchi was sitting with his knees pulled up to his chest and his face   
buried in his arms. Now that the girls were thinking rationally, they   
could hear him, sobbing to himself.  
  
"Tenchi, are you all right?" Sasami hurried over, and knelt by his side.  
  
Ryoko and Aeka still watched, stunned, as Kiyone stood by a window,   
furthest from them, facing the outside, the sun's rays shining on her   
face.  
  
"Why… why is Tenchi crying?" Ryoko asked.  
  
"What's wrong with Lord Tenchi?" Aeka questioned.  
  
"Maybe…" Mihoshi tried meekly. "Just maybe… he's erm… scared of you two?"  
  
"No way!" Ryoko's eyes widened. "No! He wouldn't think that… would he?"  
  
"We'd never hurt Lord Tenchi, never!" Aeka protested.  
  
"It's not that." Kiyone replied in an unnervingly calm voice. "Sasami,   
tell them."  
  
"Well," Sasami said as she sat down beside Tenchi, her voice uncannily   
sober. "You see, Aeka, and Ryoko, after last night Tenchi was so happy   
with the two of you, he must have thought surely you would know what he   
must feel for you now."  
  
Tenchi looked up, looking at Sasami with new eyes.  
  
I didn't know she was so perceptive.  
  
"Go on, Sasami," he encouraged, wondering how deep this little lady could   
see.  
  
"And, well, he was just so upset the two of you could think so poorly of   
him, and after he showed how much he cares for you both…" Sasami, patted   
Tenchi's head, almost like she did to Ryo-oh-ki, and the eighteen year old   
blinked at her. "It must be very hard on him."  
  
"Thank you, Sasami," Tenchi murmured, still trying to digest this new   
side to her.  
  
"Don't mention it, Tenchi!" Giggling in pleasure, the little princess   
skipped past the bewildered Ryoko and Aeka, past Mihoshi, and out through   
the dimension door. She passed through it and Ryo-oh-ki leaped on her   
shoulder and settled back on her head. "Thanks, Ryo-oh-ki! I wouldn't have   
gone in if you hadn't alerted me! Say, where's Washu? I'd better go look   
for her in her lab."  
  
"Mihoshi, let's go, we're late for work." Kiyone suddenly turned away   
from the window.  
  
"Huh!? Kiyone, but I want to see…"  
  
"No, Mihoshi," Kiyone firmly took her arm. "It's almost eight thirty and   
we're going to be late already."  
  
"But Kiyone, I haven't even eaten breakfast yet!" Mihoshi protested.  
  
"Ryoko, Aeka, get Sasami to save our breakfasts, could you? We'll have   
them for dinner." So saying, she dragged her reluctant partner out the   
main door.  
  
Tenchi, Aeka and Ryoko were left alone, except for Anako, who was sitting   
down and watching the three of them rather curiously.  
  
"Sasami's right," Aeka broke the ice. "We have been very mean, haven't   
we?"  
  
"Well, maybe." Ryoko was a little unwilling to admit her own fault.   
"Still, I don't expect we could think of anything else in the first place,   
seeing what we did."  
  
"I understand." Tenchi sounded very weary and wretched. "It's just that   
things don't happen the way we expect them to."  
  
"I know what you mean." Ryoko added. "Sometimes it's like there's this,   
this…"  
  
"…force, this fate, that makes us move in at exactly the wrong time."   
Aeka finished.  
  
"So, do you all forgive me?" Tenchi looked very pathetic, sitting on the   
floor, hiding himself behind his knees, eyes still a little wet.  
  
"Lord Tenchi! You never have to ask me to forgive *you*!"  
  
"Tenchi, between you and me, there is *nothing* to forgive."  
  
Tenchi smiled, and stood up. "Only fate knows why it has been so kind to   
have the two most beautiful ladies I've ever known love me so much." His   
brown eyes shimmered with something resembling pride. "I'm really so   
glad."  
  
His stomach emitted a loud rumble.  
  
"Oh, er..." He subsided back to his nervous old self as the girls burst   
out laughing. "And hungry, I guess."  
  
===========================================================  
  
"There! I've almost finished," She announced triumphantly.  
  
"Washu! Breakfast!" Sasami cried at the distant clump of red hair,   
obscured by a variety of machines. If Washu heard she certainly didn't   
respond.  
  
"The last touches… there! Completed!" Turning in Sasami's direction.   
"Wanna see?"  
  
"It's the greatest capture device ever!" Washu-doll one.  
  
"Created by the greatest genius ever!" Washu-doll two.  
  
Out of courtesy, Sasami went over. "What is it, Washu?" She asked   
politely, looking with a certain amount of awe at the device Washu held in   
her hand, trying to ignore Ryo-oh-ki who was growling softly at Koneko,   
which was seated beside Washu. "It looks like a bracelet."  
  
"Ah, so it may seem, but it is not!" Washu proudly announced. "This,   
Sasami, is the Stasis Discharger. It can totally immobilise everything   
within an volume of twenty-seven cubic metres in stasis!"  
  
"That's great, Washu, but I think you should be eating breakfast. Tenchi   
and the rest are probably eating already." Koneko mewed delightedly, as   
though it understood Sasami, and bounded half way to the door, then sort   
of waited, eyes pleading with Washu.  
  
"Oh all right." Washu relented. "At least I can show off my latest   
invention after that."  
  
===========================================================  
  
Kiyone hummed as she worked with the lights, signalling vehicles to move   
here and stop there and unload that. Mihoshi was currently employed as a   
sort of servant for the contractors and workers, basically going out now   
and then to purchase refreshments. It had worked out, for even Mihoshi   
could not fail as badly as she did the first time with the truck backing   
into a hole.  
  
Somehow, she felt a lot better this morning than yesterday night, no   
thanks to Tenchi, Ryoko and Aeka. It felt good to know that someone out   
there was willing to stand by her, no matter what.  
  
Well, at least someone other than Mihoshi, that is.  
  
She knew she had not thought seriously about it, in fact, she could   
almost feel herself deliberately avoiding thinking about it, by working,   
by humming. Given what she could guess what he was, the future didn't seem   
very promising.  
  
Yet it was very flattering, comforting even, to know he could not stop   
himself from coming to her side when she needed him, even though he had no   
way of knowing how much distress she was in.  
  
Kiyone, Kiyone, what have you become! She chided herself.  
  
You are so weak now! You used to be able to stand on your own, now you   
have to rely on him. You're being too emotional, too illogical, you have   
failed to see things and notice things. How he doesn't show up openly, how   
he always seems to melt in and out of your world, almost as though he was   
a wraith. He belongs to the dark, and he is afraid of the light. You don't   
have to live with that.  
  
No, it is not his fault. He is right to be wary.  
  
"Break time! Mihoshi! Get the drinks here!."  
  
"Coming!" Mihoshi huffed and puffed as she struggled over with a bag   
containing about seven two litre water bottles. Kiyone lowered her arms,   
placed the signal torches down and hurried over to help her partner.  
  
What about Mihoshi?  
  
In a way, she is attached to me, and I know it will be difficult for her   
to let me go, if she can ever bring herself to do that.  
  
Thinking back to her Adventures in Time and Space, Kiyone thought about   
how Mihoshi had searched just about everywhere for her.  
  
Will she do that? Will she still cling on to me even after…  
  
Kiyone's mind struck a dead end.  
  
What? Exactly what was awaiting herself and Kova?  
  
Her mind wandered back to that moment, in the apartment, as the two of   
them were clearing the table after their meal. That had felt… so natural,   
so right. But could it possibly happen? That lunch only yesterday seemed   
so distant, while the prospect of that seemed light years away.  
  
Kiyone shook her head, expelling the hopelessness from that thought..  
  
I am a person, I have my own will and strength. I can reach for the   
future, I can decide my destiny. I can bridge the gap to attain that.  
  
That will be my goal.  
  
===========================================================  
  
"Want me to demonstrate?"  
  
Tenchi looked at the golden band with a tiny hole on top of it, adorning   
Washu's wrist. "Erm… no thanks. I don't wish to be frozen into the next   
century, you know."  
  
"Not on you, Tenchi!" Washu decided she was asking the wrong person.   
"Ryoko, what'd you like me to do with this?"  
  
The space pirate looked at the device, now aiming at her. "Why not try it   
out on…" her shifty yellow eyes darted around, searching. "…Aeka's dress!"  
  
"Ryoko! What do you mean by that!?" Aeka shouted at her. Tenchi flinched   
inwardly.  
  
"Why nothing princess, I would just like to see Washu's device work,   
that's all," Ryoko answered with surprise in her voice, her yellow eyes   
going 'bambi' style. "Why, what did you think was on my mind?"  
  
"You know very well what was on it!" Aeka retorted tartly.  
  
Washu expressed her impatience and annoyance by alternating between Ryoko   
and Aeka as targets with the Discharger, mentally doing an 'Eenie meenie   
miny moe.'  
  
"Washu, how does freezing a person help you handle your criminal?" Sasami   
asked.  
  
"Well, it's simple really," Aeka told her. "Washu just points it and zap,   
he's frozen, and then we can do whatever we like with him."  
  
"Nope, wrong, princess." Washu commented, and Ryoko, noting Tenchi's eyes   
on her, restrained herself from making a face at the perturbed princess.   
"This Stasis Discharger takes time to fire, and the ray does not move   
particularly quickly. However, I've set some extra parameters so that the   
device can detect the source of a Tachyon Ray emission. That way, if he   
sets off a Tachyon blast, the stasis device will encapsulate them just   
before the ray can fire, as it requires some charging time."  
  
"So how does that help?" Tenchi looked skeptical. "You said we can't do   
anything to anything within the Stasis Field, so we're stuck with that.   
Then we release him so we can apprehend him and the world blows up.   
Great."  
  
"You are rather bright for an earthling," Washu commented rather sharply.   
Then her eyes narrowed and her mouth became a stern, cold line. "But you   
are in no position to challenge me, so step down." She cleared her throat   
again, ignoring Tenchi's embarrassment and continued as though she hadn't   
said anything. "What we can do is that we can move the Stasis cell and its   
occupants into an alternate dimension, so the tachyon blast can go off   
there, then we can bring the occupants back and apprehend them." Arching   
her eyebrows at Tenchi. "Any comments?"  
  
There was silence round the table, except for Ryo-oh-ki's soft growling   
at Koneko and Anako, despite Sasami soothingly stroking her on the head.  
  
"Well, I suppose all that means is that we just have to look for the   
person now and take him down, is that it?" Ryoko asked.  
  
"Yes, it is." Washu replied. "We don't need to worry about him using the   
Ray now."  
  
"Oh, and I guess the part about not knowing who or what or where he is,   
and about him being any out of a hundred and fifty-six space criminals can   
be conveniently overlooked."  
  
Washu glared so hard at Ryoko the pirate could feel her animosity wishing   
her the very best time as a kappa. Then to her surprise, the scientist   
turned to Tenchi and screamed, "Tenchiii!"  
  
Everyone looked at Washu in surprise, and Tenchi looked at her with   
bulging eyes. "Washu?"  
  
"Tell her to take care of her mouth!" she wailed.  
  
Tenchi blinked. This was strange, usually Washu just took care of such   
things herself. "How?"  
  
"Very well, then don't ask me to change her back." The computer terminal   
popped out before her and her fingers hovered over it.  
  
"Wait, Washu!" he cried frantically. Then his eyes turned to Ryoko.   
"Ryoko! Can't you keep your mouth shut!"  
  
"But…"  
  
"Keep quiet! I don't want to hear a word more from you!" Tenchi saw her   
flinch, and he felt sorry he had to hurt her so, but he didn't want her as   
kappa and he hoped she understood.  
  
Ryoko didn't know what to think. It hurt badly to have Tenchi shout at   
her this way, but her common sense told her the more vehement his orders,   
the more he loved her. Yet she couldn't help it, her heart ached anyway.   
It had always been that way when it came to Tenchi.  
  
Washu smirked at them. Now that was a fitting punishment. She never was a   
sadistic person, but it irked her to be irritated twice, once by Tenchi   
and then by Ryoko, as though they were above her.  
  
Aeka watched, trying to ignore the nagging unease in her head. Unlike   
Ryoko, she had been brought up to know the value of punishment for your   
own good, and to her, the sharp tone in Tenchi's voice only said how much   
he valued Ryoko.  
  
Washu looked at Aeka's dark expression, then she sighed. "You know, the   
three of you have a lot to learn. Come, Koneko, we need to unwind."   
Heading for the TV, she quickly found the morning programs lacking in   
taste and variety, while the four of them stared at her in some kind of   
collective apoplexy. "Sasami, anything you'd like particularly to do?"  
  
"No. Why?"  
  
"Well, there's nothing good on TV so I'll be going back to my lab now."  
  
"But Washu, what are you going to do there?"  
  
"I don't know, think of some way to find the Ray? I have a hunch the   
owner is here on this planet, but that's all it is, a hunch. I hope he's   
not already gone to sell it."  
  
Aeka's brows furrowed. "If it gets into the hands of the SSS, Jurai will   
be in serious trouble."  
  
"Exactly, so I really have to get this job done quickly."  
  
The three of them watched as the red head disappeared into her lab,   
followed by Koneko.  
  
"You know," Sasami commented, looking a little sad. "I think Washu has   
changed a little. She's more, well, serious now. She's not so fun   
anymore."  
  
"I know, Sasami," Aeka stroked Ryo-oh-ki who was perched on Sasami's   
head, staring at Anako. She had stopped growling at the two kittens a   
while earlier, though still notably unhappy about their presence in the   
household. "But Washu really has something very serious on her hands."  
  
"I understand, Aeka."  
  
===========================================================  
  
"I'm sorry," the bespectacled doctor told the customer for what seemed   
like the thirteenth time. "But I don't do that anymore. It's only a first   
day promotional offer."  
  
"Well, couldn't you at least try, doctor? I've heard so much about you."  
  
"Oh, all right," he sighed. "I'll try, but if I get it wrong you mustn't   
think too poorly of me."  
  
Smiling, the man sat back and awaited the doctor's analysis.  
  
"Let's see. A slight fever, sore throat, and… a headache?" He laughed to   
himself as he saw the man's face droop a little in disappointment.  
  
"Nope. I've only got a slight fever and a headache. No sore throat." He   
peered curiously at the doctor. "Care to tell me how you got three out of   
two?"  
  
"Trade secrets." As always, his same old excuse.  
  
How did the commoners do this? How did they carve a niche for themselves   
and yet remain so innocuous?  
  
He watched as the customer left his room, holding the medicine. He had   
just meant the ailment prognostication thing to be a gimmick, an   
attraction. After this they would come to him not for the advice, but for   
the treatment. Dr Kashiro was quite certain every one of his diagnoses was   
right. After all, he had excelled in the Chemistry, Medicine and Biology   
at the Academy.  
  
I don't have to be on the run anymore. I can settle down, live a normal   
life. After my education at the Academy, I can go anywhere, do anything.  
  
He thought to himself as another patient entered.  
  
No, they'll come after me sooner or later. They always do so. As long as   
records of my existence is around, and *he* is alive. I'll bet he has been   
thinking of where I could have been.  
  
Kova thought back to the Science Academy. Every five years since his   
entry into the university, an SSS ambassador would come snooping along to   
the chairman. He knew they were looking for his files, he had seen lines   
of students who had joined the Academy near the time he vanished called up   
for examination. Fortunately he had had the foresight to bribe some of the   
administrators, so they put him down as enrolled six years before then.  
  
Then there were the spies. No doubt some of them had other duties like to   
steal weapons' technology, but he kept an eye on them nevertheless. Once   
in a while he would intercept some of their information and edit it a   
little, but other than that he tried to make it seem the information flow   
out of the Science Academy was normal. He had also studiously ensured his   
results at the Academy were never too outstanding to be noticed, or people   
might approach him and his identity revealed. Not that it was his face he   
was worried about, it was totally different from that in his files.  
  
Strangely though, even though he had chosen a guise about thirty odd and   
rather ordinary, some females would still go after him. He had a hard time   
restraining his desires, although none of them really appealed to him,   
because they had been, well, too forward. As for Washu, he somehow sensed   
she thought he was a lot brighter than most, although his grades were only   
slightly above mediocre.  
  
As things were, Kiyone could be said to be the first person in thirty   
years to have seen his true face, even then still missing one feature.  
  
Even now, he asked himself if that was wise. Washu would come back   
looking for him, no doubt about that, but to be so caught up with someone   
so near her was a peril he had never dared placed himself in before. No   
doubt the SSS agents would be keeping an eye on her, too.  
  
Maybe Kiyone-chan could persuade Washu to be merciful with me, as long as   
I turned over whatever technology she deemed should not be on the   
Shuriken.  
  
No. Even if she agreed, the SSS would capture and slay me if I came into   
contact with Washu.  
  
Shaking his head, he tried to clear the disturbing doubts. On this   
backwater planet, he had not caught even a whiff of the Syndicate   
presence, something he was usually keenly on the look out for. Of course,   
Kiyone was a distraction (he allowed himself a smile as he thought of her)   
and he had only been here for four days.  
  
But what would he do if his previous agency caught up with him? He would   
have to run, but how could he leave her? And then the Syndicate would tell   
the GP forces to co-operate, and then she would…  
  
Would she?  
  
There was no doubting the depth of feeling she had for him, as last night   
had told him, but then he also suspected she was a person who could detach   
herself from her actions. She had a strong mind and will, but was it   
strong enough to completely separate desire from duty?  
  
He really wasn't sure.  
  
Dr Kashiro smiled his thanks upon receiving another consultancy fee,   
waited till the person left, before slumping forward onto his desk.  
  
===========================================================  
  
The noon sun beat down on his forehead, and he wiped his sweaty brow with   
his free hand. The soil shifted as the carrot moved, shifted, before   
finally emerging from the soil, to the sound of a joyful yelp from Ryo-oh-  
ki.  
  
"Not now, Ryo-oh-ki! These carrots will have to last you for a week at   
least," Tenchi warned the cabbit. She looked up at him, seemed to think   
for a bit, then joyfully returned to nibbling the carrot.  
  
Tenchi sighed. Some things just never changed. He'd have to go faster to   
keep up with Ryo-oh-ki's rapid consumption.  
  
His hand went around another stump of green along the neatly planted   
rows, and suddenly he felt something land on him. Something soft, warm and   
familiar wrapped around him.  
  
"Ryoko!" His tone was a little bothered.  
  
"My, what's wrong, Tenchi?" He could feel her warm breath as she   
whispered into his ear. "Is having some shade from the sun too much for   
you to handle, hmm?"  
  
"Let go of me!"  
  
"Why, Tenchi? Whatever's wrong?"  
  
"I can't work with you on my back! You're not weightless, you know!"  
  
"Oh, is that it?" Ryoko smiled a bright smile Tenchi could not see and   
used her ability to fly.  
  
The weight vanished from Tenchi's back, but Ryoko's proximity was in no   
way reduced.  
  
"Ryoko?"  
  
"Like it this way?" His eyes widened as she kissed him gently on the   
cheek.  
  
Tenchi thought about the perspiration on his face. "Don't you find that a   
little… yucky, Ryoko?"  
  
"Is it?" He heard her flick her tongue, licking her lips. "Mmm, it tastes   
exquisitely you. That doesn't seem very yucky," she lowered her voice,   
giving it a husky, sultry tone. "In fact, it's perfect."  
  
Tenchi gulped. "Just get off me, please?"  
  
"You don't like it?" Ryoko sounded surprised. "Need me to squeeze you   
harder, mmm?" Tenchi felt her finger twiddling and pressing his chest the   
way she always did it. "Or hold you somewhere else?" Her other hand   
wandered down from Tenchi's shoulder.  
  
"Ryoko! Get off!" He ordered.  
  
"But you said yesterday I could hold you anytime you were alone, except   
in the toilet or bath!" Her voice was plaintive. "And don't you dare tell   
me we're not alone because Ryo-oh-ki's here!" Despite her usual playful   
tone, Tenchi realised there was an underlying note of frustration in her   
words.  
  
"I'm sorry, Ryoko, but I have work to do."  
  
"Then do it! I'll watch."  
  
"Don't you get it!? I can't do it with you on my back!"  
  
"Tenchiii!"  
  
"Weightless or not, I really can't. Please, Ryoko."  
  
He heard her snarl in frustration and hurt, then she was off him. Forcing   
himself not to turn back to see where she was or what she was doing,   
Tenchi quickly returned to plucking carrots, reminding himself that Ryo-oh-  
ki was already starting on her fifth one.  
  
High in the sky, Ryoko looked down at him, anger seething in her as he   
pulled out one, then two carrots from the ground, leaving small pits in   
their place.  
  
I wish I could blast this carrot field away! Anything that gets between   
me and Tenchi must be destroyed!  
  
Tenchi turned to toss a carrot into the basket he had left beside Ryo-oh-  
ki, and she caught a glimpse of his face. It was cheery as he saw Ryo-oh-  
ki meow back gratefully yet at the same time diligent, and it was all born   
of an emotion within him.  
  
That pleasure, that peace of mind… just like when I pull off a really big   
job.  
  
Work is part of Tenchi, part of what he stands for, Ryoko realised.  
  
Even if I demolished the things around him, I could not change that part   
of him. All I would do is turn him against me.  
  
Ryoko floated for a moment, contemplative. She remembered how happy she   
had been when she and Tenchi had robbed countless banks during their   
adventures in Time and Space, how wonderful it had been to be on a journey   
together, just she and Tenchi, just the two of them.  
  
Tenchi. He had made it all seem better, just by being with her, doing the   
things she liked.  
  
Tenchi looked up as a carrot sailed over his head and landed into the   
basket. Ryoko was bent over a hole where a carrot once occupied, smiling   
at him. She vanished and worked on the next one. It came out with a pop   
and he watched as she tossed it over his head, but this time it landed   
along the edge of it and bounced out.  
  
Ryoko frowned, but before she could do anything, Tenchi had reached over   
and placed it into the basket, before turning back to her, his face   
somehow more radiant than it was before, then he returned to his work.  
  
The space pirate caught herself smiling. Somehow, there was something in   
a honest day's work, something she had never seen in it before.  
  
She looked at Tenchi, working in earnest now, but the light had not faded   
from his face, and she caught him looking at her out of his sincere, brown   
eyes. She had thought Tenchi would praise her, maybe thank her, for   
helping him, but now she realised she was wrong.  
  
There was no need for words between them.  
  
===========================================================  
  
It was only about two o'clock in the afternoon when they had cleared the   
carrot fields. Tenchi went over the basket, and picked Ryo-oh-ki out by   
the nape of her neck, before setting her down on the ground with the   
carrot she had sunk her teeth into. Ryoko materialised before him,   
stooping down in preparation to help him lift the basket onto his back.  
  
"Ryoko, wait."  
  
She looked up, and saw his demeanour was still uplifted and euphoric.   
"Tenchi?" she managed to get out as she watched him step over to her.  
  
Brown eyes glittering, Tenchi grinned dangerously and threw himself on   
Ryoko.  
  
Her yellow eyes opened wide as she felt him hug her, his arms holding her   
tight to him, almost as though he was Ryoko and she was Tenchi.  
  
Oh god, that felt great!  
  
After what seemed like a fraction of a second, although it was well over   
a minute, Tenchi let go of her and stood back, regarding her intently,   
almost proudly.  
  
Then the hesitation returned to his face. "Er, Ryoko, was that okay with   
you?" He asked nervously. "I'm sorry but I'm a little wet now, hope you   
didn't mind…"  
  
"Me, mind that!" Ryoko laughed at the ridiculousness of it all. "Tenchi,   
you idiot, that was just wonderful! I'm sweating just like you are,   
anyway," her voice took on a seductive nuance. "Besides, some day I'd love   
to make you get *really* wet…"  
  
Tenchi took a step back, his face going scarlet. "But we're…" He forced   
himself to think before he spoke, trying to play out the conversation in   
his mind.  
  
'But we're not married yet!'  
  
'Then let's get married, now!'  
  
'But I can't…'  
  
'Why?' And then Ryoko would think of Aeka.  
  
It just wasn't right for him to spoil such a moment for Ryoko, not if he   
could help it.  
  
Ryoko peered curiously at Tenchi, who was staring into space, his skin   
still beetroot red.  
  
Is he thinking about it? Is he *actually* thinking about it?  
  
Sometimes Ryoko just wished he had a little more of Nobuyuki's spirit.  
  
He looked back at her, a slight smile on his face. "Let's go back,   
Ryoko," trying to keep his face straight and the red down. It would never   
do to give her the impression he was looking forward to what she had said   
she'd love to do, because if she thought he did enough, she *would* do it.  
  
Ryoko's eyes widened in surprise. Now *that* was a first. Tenchi always   
would go scarlet and say something like "Ryoko! Stop…" whatever it was she   
was doing. Now he, still smiling to himself as though in a pleasant dream,   
had placed Ryo-oh-ki back onto the ground again, and the red had almost   
vanished from his face.  
  
Maybe he's finally willing to love me…  
  
"Ryoko, do you mind helping me with this?" Tenchi tried to get the basket   
on his back. Ryoko laughed, knowing full well he could manage by himself,   
and went over, hefting the basket up as Tenchi slid under it. Then the   
three of them proceeded back to the house, Ryoko by Tenchi's side, with   
Ryo-oh-ki perched on her shoulder, nibbling away at yet another carrot.  
  
Somehow, Ryoko thought back to the days of robbing banks, only this time,   
while Tenchi was carrying the carrots, he was not really carrying his   
booty. It was walking beside him.  
  
===========================================================  
  
Somehow, Kiyone expected something to turn up from the moment her shift   
at Mos Burger ended to the time she got back to work at the Fujima   
Florists cum Delivery Department, but nothing showed up. Oh well, she had   
eaten lunch at Tenchi's place and collected the remnants of the breakfast   
she and Mihoshi missed, and unlike Mihoshi, who had wolfed it all down on   
their way from Mos to Fujima, Kiyone was snatching small pieces of food   
between her work. After all, Sasami's food still retained much of their   
flavour even though it was cold already.  
  
She let her mind wander back to lunch, knowing full well she could   
handle the flowers well enough. Washu had been there at lunch, and she had   
briefed Kiyone and Mihoshi about the Tachyon Ray case as well. She played   
the conversation back in her mind.  
  
"So, Washu, did this person steal any other technology from the Academy   
we may have to deal with?" She had asked.  
  
"Well, maybe one or two things, nothing we can't handle," Washu replied,   
not making eye contact with Kiyone.  
  
"Washu! We have to know!"  
  
"Don't worry about it! Basically it's just about the Tachyon Ray. The   
rest can be safely ignored."  
  
"Like?" Tenchi looked skeptical.  
  
"Oh, if you really want to know, there's an EMP device, Stealth and   
Miniaturisation technology, and a Dimensional Rift Creator." Washu   
continued eating as though she weren't saying anything of import. "Like I   
said, nothing we can't handle."  
  
"Wait a minute," Kiyone had sounded uneasy. "Isn't a dimensional rift   
creator like the door upstairs to my apartment, or like the door to your   
lab?"  
  
"My, everyone seems to be catching on pretty quick nowadays, huh?"   
Washu's eyes sidled from Kiyone to Tenchi and back again. "Must be the   
influence of such a great, cute genius scientist like me!"  
  
Aeka and Ryoko looked nonplussed at the slight to their intelligence,   
while Sasami and Mihoshi just listened attentively, the former not   
bothering with it, the latter missing her point completely.  
  
"So that means he can get away anytime he likes, right, Washu? The way we   
did with your door."  
  
"Perhaps. Maybe, but not to worry, my computer can trace any alterations   
in dimensional flux, so we'll know where he emerges!" Washu smiled.   
"Nothing to worry about!"  
  
Kiyone looked crossly at Washu. "What you're telling me is that we can't   
catch him!"  
  
"Well, not easily, anyway." The scientist looked a little sheepish.  
  
"What about the door upstairs?" Sasami asked. "We could use that to   
pursue him, couldn't we?"  
  
"Well, it's linked to an artificial wormhole to Kiyone's apartment,   
that's why its current range is so far. If we detach it, it will only be   
the same as before, eight hundred metres."  
  
"And his device has a range of…?"  
  
"No idea." Washu shrugged, at a loss. "Given his intelligence and the   
data at his fingertips, it could range from anything between three hundred   
metres to over several light years."  
  
"Why so far?" Ryoko pressed. "If he could do that, why couldn't our   
genius scientist do it too?"  
  
"I have reason to believe his ship can travel through the subspace   
dimension."  
  
"WHAT?"  
  
"If he opens a rift directly here and somewhere else, he could only get   
at most around a kilometre away. However, his ship size, as from the   
Academy project records, is estimated to be able to fit into a dimensional   
rift, and he has the technology to make it operate normally in that   
alternate dimension." Washu had often employed devices there, so she knew   
he probably could. She still wondered why she had never thought of using   
subspace to travel. "In that case, he could simply open a rift to another   
dimension, and travel through there to another spot where he could open a   
rift and return back to this plane of existence."  
  
"How long he'd take to cover that distance?"  
  
"Well, somewhat longer, but not significantly. It could be twenty   
minutes, say, to traverse to a point where he can re-enter our world ten   
light years from where he left it."  
  
Kiyone, Tenchi, Aeka and Ryoko all face-faulted. "That is NOT a   
problem!?"  
  
"Of course not!" Washu laughed. "Given the EMP weapons his ship probably   
has, he could disable just about any ship's offensive systems, shields and   
engines, then blow them up at his leisure with his lasers. Or he could   
just Tachyon Ray an entire GP battle fleet. Not to mention the fact his   
ship is practically undetectable and untargetable, in other words,   
invincible. Why would he have to run?"  
  
It was at this point Kiyone had suddenly an intense fear.  
  
Could it be? Really?  
  
Even now, as she worked at the florists', she could not shake the feeling   
of unease.  
  
No ordinary criminal would be so intelligent, nor remain for so long   
undetected in the Academy.  
  
No ordinary criminal would be so discreet about having such powerful   
weapons. She could name almost any number of space pirates and criminals   
who would give half their body to possess such a ship, or even just the   
Tachyon Ray. Even Ryoko, she was certain, would happily go on a universal   
rampage with such a ship, obliterating everything Kiyone had ever stood   
for, and creating almost utter chaos. Yet since Washu arrived, no news   
have been heard of any disturbances.  
  
And the strangest thing of all - who would possibly set up such an   
intricate and flawless escape system when he never ever had to be afraid   
or run away from anything? (unless he knew what Washu was up to, of   
course, with her Stasis Field)  
  
The seed of doubt planted in Kiyone's mind began to grow.  
  
===========================================================  
  
He sat back, shocked. The data coming in was close to unbelievably   
fantastic. The greatest, most deadliest ship - invisible, invincible. If   
he got it, the SSS would conquer all of existence, with him as its sole   
and undisputed ruler!  
  
He sat back and thanked destiny for playing him such a nice deck of   
cards, putting him as overseer of this operation.  
  
Taking a deep breath to calm himself, he continued reading through the   
transmission, then delivered his verdict.  
  
"Proposal not approved." He relayed. "Wait until Terminus has had more   
positive information about the location of the spy and his ship before any   
action is taken to alarm them. If you find the spy, seize him at all   
costs. Proposal not required."  
  
He thought again.  
  
"Satellite mission priority to be altered, with original objective as   
secondary to assisting or executing Terminus' objective."  
  
=== End of Chapter ===  
  
NEXT CHAPTER : No Need for a Perfect Evening  
  
NOTES:  
Kova is in a way, an SIed character. Pls include him in your  
comments, whether I have portrayed him as a person, as a friend  
or foe, as one of the gang, and most importantly, as a human being.  
  
I hope you have enjoyed this Fanfic as much as I have typing it.  
If there are any more grammar errors, I beg your forgiveness, as  
my sole proofreader is myself.  
  
This is my first FF, so go ahead and mail me at zyraen@yahoo.com  
with comments, especially on character portrayal, realism.  
  
  



	6. No Need for a Perfect Evening

Disclaimer :  
Most characters in this story are property of AIC and Pioneer.  
They are in such a situation solely because of my imagination.  
This story was written purely for fun.  
  
This FF is based on the TV Series, with some powers drawn over  
from the OAV, but with no Light Hawk Wings.  
  
This story contains no sex, so please do not expect it.  
  
Before I wrote this Fanfic, I have only read 2 Fanfics, Aikan  
Muyo and To Love & To Hate. Since then I have read some others,  
and have noted some writers have a tendency to portray some  
characters inaccurately. I hope I have not fallen into that trap.  
  
That's about it, I'm a simple soul at heart...  
  
  
DARKNESS & LIGHT - No Need For Kova  
  
By Zyraen  
  
Chapter VI : No Need for a Perfect Evening  
  
Dinner at the Masaki residence was muted, almost sober, as they   
contemplated the likelihood of Washu successfully recovering the stolen   
technology. The only two cheerful ones were Anako and Koneko, who were   
playfully bouncing about and around Aeka and Washu respectively.  
  
"You know, we're lucky in that he hasn't used them yet," Aeka pointed out.   
"It would be awful for the Juraian Empire if that happened."  
  
"The Galaxy Police too," Mihoshi said, even though she did not completely   
catch what was going on, she knew it was something serious. Strangely,   
Kiyone did not comment.  
  
"I wonder how the rest of the space pirates would react?" Ryoko asked no   
one in particular. "Probably try to trick and steal the ship from him."   
She grinned evilly.  
  
Tenchi threw her a disapproving sideways glance.  
  
"But as for me," Ryoko continued, her evil grin vanishing into   
nothingness. "I think I'll just stay here and help you guys, okay?"  
  
"That's good, Ryoko, because you probably won't pull it off, and you   
and Ryo-oh-ki would wind up dead." Washu pointed out. "I knew Yoda  
Shiro, whoever he was, and he was certainly among the brightest up  
here." She tapped her cranium. "Given what he pulled off, I don't  
think anyone who knows him would even catch a whiff of him  
owning a ship."  
  
Kiyone's ears pricked up, but outwardly, she appeared unmoved.  
  
"Do you have any idea how this person looks like?" Sasami queried. "Since   
you knew him.."  
  
"Well, there is a eighty-eight percent probability that he's a male,   
given Yoda's known character, and though he usually stands only about as   
tall as Tenchi, he could be a quite a bit taller, because he usually  
had his shoulders slumped and his back hunched a little from poring  
too much over things."  
  
"Huh, you mean that's all you know about him?" Ryoko asked. "After he   
spent so much time in the Academy?"  
  
"Ryoko, in case you forgot, I only returned there last year." Washu   
glared at her. "I've seen him, but there's a high probability most of his   
features were part of a disguise. Even if he were not trained, given his   
knowledge of science, that would be extremely likely, about ninety-six   
percent."  
  
Kiyone stirred a little, but remained silent.  
  
"So how are we going to capture him?" Aeka asked, her mind going back to   
Jurai's interests.  
  
"It'll be difficult, to say the least, of getting hold of him in space.   
We'll have to find him on a planet and take it from there. It's our best   
chance."  
  
"What's the likelihood he's here on Earth?"  
  
"Very low, actually." Washu appeared sheepish, and Kiyone gave a soft   
exhalation of relief. Mihoshi was the only one who heard her, but she   
didn't make much of it. "But I just have this feeling he is somewhere on   
Earth. In fact, very near."  
  
"Like the phone call yesterday, I guess?" Tenchi asked. "Say, have you   
checked it up?"  
  
"No, I haven't. Say Kiyone, you've been very quiet so far. What's your   
doctor's name?"  
  
Kiyone felt her mind tossing in tumult, wracked with indecision, almost   
as though it were being taken on a really crazy roller coaster ride.  
  
Should I tell them I never made the call?  
  
Should I tell them about him?  
  
"I… don't quite know." She replied. "He's just my doctor…"  
  
Tenchi and Sasami exchanged glances, remembering the figure they had seen   
last night by Kiyone's slumbering form.  
  
"Oh well, so much for intuition, I guess." Washu murmured, almost as   
though she berated herself for bothering with it at all. "If nothing   
turns up soon, I'm afraid I'll have to go elsewhere to search. But if I do   
that, you all must orchestrate it so that it seems like I'm still staying   
with you all, or some people may get suspicious."  
  
"That's too bad, Washu," Sasami sounded sorrowful. "I was hoping you   
would stay…"  
  
"There now, I've got to go save the universe from total disaster," Washu   
appeared cheery, but they could all see her expression was a little sorry   
to go too. "I haven't thanked you for welcoming me back the way you did."  
  
"I knew you would turn up sooner or later, Washu."  
  
"I think all of us knew it." Tenchi added.  
  
Washu feigned a slight smile.  
  
Well, I'd like to know when *he* will turn up.  
  
She saw Kiyone staring at her strangely, before returning to her dinner.  
  
===========================================================  
  
"Let's go, Mihoshi. It's getting late." Kiyone told her partner. Tenchi  
furrowed his brow in suspicion - it was only eight twenty.  
  
"But Kiyone! I haven't got a chance to sing yet!"  
  
"Look, even if you stay here longer, you won't get a chance, not with   
those two hogging the microphone." Kiyone said, expecting Ryoko and Aeka   
to glower at her, which they did.  
  
Aeka pouted and announced haughtily. "Just to show you how wrong you are,   
Kiyone," she extended the mike in Mihoshi's direction.  
  
"Oh, thank you, Aeka!" Mihoshi jumped up and reached for it.  
  
Kiyone sighed, though she had foreseen it and was actually actively   
engineering it. "Oh well, fine then, Mihoshi. I'm going back to sleep, I'm   
not feeling quite well from last night yet." Turning to Tenchi, "Is it   
okay if Mihoshi stays here tonight again?"  
  
"As to that, I think I'd like to talk about it outside," Tenchi   
replied, eyes narrowing as he stood up. Ryoko and Aeka glanced at each   
other, remembering the scene they had beheld in the morning, but as they   
saw the little princess stare meaningfully at them, they also recalled   
what she had said on Tenchi's behalf. With a visible effort, the two   
forced themselves to remain in their seats.  
  
Kiyone only nodded and went out, followed by Tenchi.  
  
"Kiyone, I have something to ask you."  
  
"What, Tenchi?" her voice sounded tired and strained.  
  
"Who was that you were dreaming of last night?" His brown eyes bore into   
hers.  
  
"Well well well. So I was right then. He was there, wasn't he?" She   
replied, eyes defiant.  
  
He nodded. "He was there all right. What I am asking is, who is he?"  
  
"He… I cannot tell you Tenchi, not unless he gives me leave."  
  
"But he said you were to decide if I were to know him."  
  
"Well then, I'll just have to ask him to make sure." Kiyone seemed   
irritated, and she turned to go.  
  
"Yeah, I guess you'll manage, huh?" Tenchi tried his alternative plan.   
"Only you forgot you were starving, and I had to bring your food up to   
your place."  
  
Kiyone paused. She knew it was bait, but she did owe Tenchi.  
  
"All right, if you wish to know, I never did tell you to do that. Nor did   
I make that call."  
  
"So who called?"  
  
"You'll know in time, Tenchi. Take care of Mihoshi, okay?" And she   
quickly hurried up the stairs before Tenchi could react.  
  
Why did I say that last statement? It sounded like…  
  
Like I was going to leave them, or maybe even die.  
  
All she meant was for Mihoshi to stay over, but somehow, it hadn't quite   
come out the right way. And Kiyone knew herself well enough to know she   
didn't often make such mistakes.  
  
Forget that! She told herself. I must think of some way of asking Kova   
about those things tonight.  
  
===========================================================  
  
Her eyes were watchful, searching the shadows as she left the building   
and though she was clad normally in her white blouse and green tights, her   
blaster and yo-yo were both with her, hidden among her pockets. Her whole   
body was tensed, ready to react to the slightest threatening movement.  
  
It was almost like she was on a GP assignment.  
  
Kiyone shook her head, trying to dispel the feeling.  
  
I'm on a date! She reminded herself, but still she felt wary and   
watchful.  
  
She spun around as a figure moved among the shadows, and emerged into the   
light, clad in a dark blue jacket, a sky blue shirt and night blue pants   
that tapered around his legs. As her eyes lighted on his face, however,   
her expression softened and her green eyes melted.  
  
Well, I certainly couldn't hurt him, she told herself. How could I have   
forgotten his face?  
  
Kova regarded her oddly. "You seemed very tense tonight, Kiyone-chan.   
What happened?" Then he smiled. "Or did you anticipate something special   
tonight?"  
  
"I expected to see you." She replied, her old confidence returning. His   
presence was very comforting, and Washu's words, her uneasy suspicion all   
faded into the background.  
  
"That's special enough for me, but isn't it a little early now?" He   
looked uneasily up at her apartment. "Is Mihoshi asleep?"  
  
"She's staying over at Tenchi's place. You've met him, I believe?" Her   
eyebrows arched as she made her veiled accusation.  
  
Kova seemed to chuckle nervously, his usually calm expression   
dissipating. "Well, I just…"  
  
"I'm waiting," Kiyone put her hand on her hip, trying not to laugh at his   
discomfiture and maintaining her stern appearance. It did feel good to   
know she could put him off balance, just like he did to her the first   
three times they met.  
  
"… couldn't stop thinking about you." His expression was earnest, if not   
a little embarrassed. "I needed to see you."  
  
"And so you crept into my apartment while I was asleep." Kiyone   
soundlessly flapped her hands together in a parody of a clap, enjoying   
herself thoroughly. "Did you have something else on your mind?"  
  
"No." Kova looked simultaneously puzzled and annoyed. Then he smiled, and   
gave Kiyone a sly glance, his blue eyes twinkling. "But what if I did?"  
  
Yes, what if he did? Would I…?  
  
Kiyone took a step back, blushing furiously, before Kova burst out   
laughing, his voice mellow and hearty in the night. "Kova-chan!" she cried   
out in feigned irritation, but her heart warmed at the sight of him so   
merry.  
  
His mirth suddenly died. "You know, Kiyone-chan, these few days have been   
the happiest I've ever had. I don't remember when I last laughed before I   
knew you." Kiyone blinked at his sudden mood swing.  
  
"It's the same with me, Kova-chan," Kiyone sighed. "Sometimes I wonder   
how we could ever thought we lived fully before we met."  
  
"I guess we must have, somehow. Say, I'd like to hear about your past,   
Kiyone-chan," His eyes turned from her to the night sky. "The night is   
young, we can walk, and I can listen to you." He smiled at her. "I want to   
know about your life, Kiyone. Everything."  
  
Kiyone nodded, touched. No one had bothered with her past before, not   
even Mihoshi.  
  
Not even myself, she thought, with a tinge of pain.  
  
"The story of my life is boring," she explained as they walked, side by   
side, so she could buy time to resurrect the dusty, untouched memories   
locked deep down within her. "Are you sure you want to hear it?"  
  
"Don't say that. Your life could never be boring, Kiyone-chan. Not to me,   
nor to anyone else."  
  
"Oh well, here goes then." For a moment Kiyone wondered where he was   
taking her to, but his steps were sure and steady, and anyway she was sure   
she could trust him. "I was born on a planet far, far away."  
  
"Wow, what amazing news." He stopped before a small cafeteria. "Want to   
snatch a drink?"  
  
"Yes, coffee please, and if you're going to hear me out, don't interrupt   
me."  
  
Before long they were sitting down, both sipping at their drinks, as   
Kiyone narrated her story.  
  
"My parents were both GP officers, and both had a good record on their   
files. However, my father had perished on an assignment, and my mother was   
the only parent I ever had, and I was an only child. Among the earliest   
impressions of my mother which I still retain was that of a beautiful lady   
who was almost eternally sad. She had green hair, just like mine, only   
much lighter, and in my early years, she would always stare at this photo   
of my father." Kova raised his eyebrows questioningly. "I don't have it,   
I'm afraid. My mother always kept it by her side. When I grew older, she   
told me the man in the photo was my father, and that he had gone away on a   
mission. He had black hair, like yours," Kiyone watched in concern as Kova   
flinched. "Why, what's wrong?"  
  
"I'll tell you later." He took a quick sip at his coffee, averting his   
eyes. "Please continue."  
  
"Every night, during dinner, the two of us would sit at a table set for   
three. Mother would always leave the seat opposite her empty, and hang   
father's picture on the chair, with me sitting between them. Although only   
the two of us ate, she always laid the table for three, and she washed his   
bowl and chopsticks almost as though he was there and had eaten with us."  
  
"Later, when I was around eight, she deposited me in the care of the Galaxy   
Police Academy, and left, I supposed, on an assignment, and from then on I   
never saw her again, at least not till I was twelve. She appeared a lot   
more older then, but she was still beautiful, and now that I think of it,   
I could see in her eyes her love for me. Yet, I remember when we met, I   
had quarrelled with her. I called her things I…" Kiyone bowed her head in   
grief. "I thought she had left me behind." Brokenly.  
  
"I understand how you feel, Kiyone-chan." Kova spoke, his voice soothing.   
"Your father had gone off on a mission and never returned, and you   
naturally felt the same fear for your mother."  
  
"Well, anyway, I told her that if she really loved me she would never   
have left me, and that day is the first time I can remember she cried   
openly for the first time before me, and…" Kova looked at her, worried. "…   
she told me not to think worse of her for it, for they had assigned to   
another mission…" Kiyone's voice became choked with emotion. "I turned my   
back on her that day, though she was crying for me to stay. I turned my   
back…"  
  
"You were only human, Kiyone-chan. You were angry. Don't punish yourself   
for that."  
  
"I turned my back…" Kiyone took a deep breath and recovered herself. ""I   
was so angry with her for leaving me for four years and then doing the same   
thing again. But anyway, I was sorry for that later, and I wanted to go   
back to see her, to apologise. But by then she had gone."  
  
Kova nodded sympathetically.  
  
"I kept on telling myself, all the nice things I'd do for her when I saw   
her again. I told myself how I'd make her happy, tell her how much I loved   
her for being my mother." Kiyone laughed bitterly. "But she never came   
back. They told me she had given her life for the team by ramming a space   
pirate ship whose shields their lasers couldn't get through and that was   
about to fire on them. I was there at the posthumous award ceremony."  
  
"The award didn't matter that much to you, did it?"  
  
"Not at that time. All I knew was that my mother was dead, that's all I   
knew. I told myself, I'd make sure nobody ever wound up like me again. I   
was going to be the head honcho at the Galaxy Police, and I was going to   
make sure no child would ever suffer like I did."  
  
"And that's why you did so well at the Academy." Kova's face was vacant,   
carefully devoid of emotions. "And you never did think of starting up a   
family, did you, Kiyone-chan?"  
  
"My parents tried." Kiyone's face was sorrowful, then her gaze met with   
his. "Do you think…?"  
  
"I believe where there's a will, there's a way." His words were spoken   
low, but the determination in his tone could be heard. "Tell me about how   
you met Mihoshi."  
  
"I first met her two years after my mother's funeral, when she joined my   
class. She was a clown, a dunce, and everyone poked fun at her. I just   
ignored her, as I did the others, and concentrated on my practice and   
work. I was an ace with the blaster, even back then, and I was selected to   
be trained in using the energy yo-yo, the only one in my class."  
  
"One day I saw Mihoshi was crying, all by herself. Apparently some   
heartless bastard had… you know. I saw how heart broken she was, and I   
told myself, swore to myself, I'd never allow myself in that position, not   
ever." Her green eyes glittered with anger.  
  
"I was wondering which hopeless idiot had trampled on your heart and   
almost killed it, but I guessed I was wrong. It was Mihoshi's pain that   
silenced your emotions." The blue eyes stared into hers, boring deep into   
her soul. "That's why you're so close to Mihoshi. You share a heart."  
  
Kiyone felt the truth in the statement gnaw on her consciousness, but   
then she quickly recovered herself. "Anyway, she was in some kind of a   
depression, and I sort of picked her back up again."  
  
"You must have been very strong, Kiyone. You didn't tell me about anyone   
picking you up when you were down."  
  
She forced herself to ignore him so she would not be distracted from her   
tale. "And she became a sort of a friend, until we graduated" Here Kiyone   
frowned. "And then we became partners. It has been a nightmare ever   
since." She sighed. "The top position at the GP Headquarters seem so far   
away now."  
  
"But you never regretted reaching out to Mihoshi, did you?"  
  
Kiyone nodded. "She was so broken… If I could turn time back, I'd do it   
all over again. And anyway, if it weren't for her, I'd never known   
Tenchi." She smiled. "And I'd never have known you…"  
  
"Go on, with your story." Kova said, though the tender edge had returned   
to his voice.  
  
"There really isn't much more. God knows how many assignments I've been   
through, and all with Mihoshi." She put her hand to head as though she had   
a headache. "Makes me really surprised to know I'm still alive. I guess   
whatever force that's up there governing the world, it does favour me in   
some sick way." Looking back at him. "Well, what about you?"  
  
"Me? I didn't think I'd ever get asked that question. At least not until   
a certain someone called me Kova-chan."  
  
"Get on with it," Kiyone pressed him, but she was smiling. In the back of   
her mind, something told her to watch out for points hinting to him as the   
object of Washu's quest.  
  
"Well, let's see now…" He tapped his forehead.  
  
"Don't waste my time, Kova-chan. I know you expected me to ask this so   
don't pretend to think."  
  
"I'm not wasting your time, I'm waiting for something to happen." He   
explained, though it was clear he did not want to explain it, it was so   
ambiguous. "Anyway, here goes. Unlike you, Kiyone, I was not actually   
gifted with parents. I suppose they must exist, but my memories are of the   
gutters and shadowed alleyways of Jurai, of street urchins from whom I   
learnt the basics of survival."  
  
Kiyone raised her eyebrows in surprise. "I didn't know you were from   
Jurai."  
  
"And I see you haven't looked in my file, Kiyone. I wonder why?"  
  
"I guess I just didn't want to know…"  
  
"There are some things we have to know about each other, Kiyone-chan."   
His voice was tired and weary. "It's all part of seeing someone for what   
he or she really is. If you don't see that, you can't truly feel for that   
person. You'll just feel for someone who doesn't really exist."  
  
"So that's why you told me you knew about Sasami. I've been meaning to   
ask you that."  
  
"I know it hurt, but I had to let you know. Forgive me, Kiyone."  
  
Kiyone swallowed, hard. "I'd like to know more about you, for now."  
  
"And I oblige," he continued. "I learnt earliest the art of stealth and   
of thievery, using it to scrounge for food and to pay protection money.   
One day, after a particularly poor week of pickings, I didn't have enough   
money to pay up. I ran, I hid, I fled. But they were the ones who had   
taught me at first, and eventually they cornered me in an alley. I was   
beaten up badly, but was left alive so they could continue to collect   
money from me. I remember I woke up to the sound of singing. Some diva had   
been invited to some house nearby, and I could hear it dimly over the   
walls. It helped me stand up again on my trembling legs. The song was too   
high pitched for me to sing, but I heard the voice of the person as she   
made her speech thanking everyone for inviting her over and listening to   
her. In memory of the song I couldn't sing, I repeated to myself her   
speech, exactly as I heard it. Later, still ragged and bleeding, I went   
over to where they were, and watched as all the high and mighty and rich   
people filed out. For some reason, I started repeating the speech to   
myself, and suddenly the people started heading towards me. When they   
found out who I was, they looked at me, shocked, but strangely, they   
didn't chase me out. It didn't take me long to realise I had a talent for   
duplicating other people's voices."  
  
"So that's how you got my lunch, or dinner, for me yesterday."  
  
"Yup, I posed as you, Kiyone. I hope you don't mind, and anyway, I'm sure   
you must have enjoyed your dinner."  
  
"I did, thank you. Now, on with your story."  
  
He glanced at his watch, and Kiyone was surprised to note it was just an   
ordinary earthling watch. "It's almost nine ten. Let's get moving, okay?"   
He quickly finished off his coffee.  
  
"Why?" Kiyone sipped at her drink. "Where are we going?"  
  
"There's a place, near here. I thought you might like it. Even if it   
looks a little shabby on the outside, there's a good view within."  
  
"How far is it?"  
  
"About twenty minutes' walk from here. We should reach there about the   
time they open their doors."  
  
Kiyone made a face. "One of those 'night clubs!' Kova-chan, whatever are   
you thinking?"  
  
"Trust me. You'll like it there. I know I will." His eyes gleamed, and   
Kiyone hoped he was not thinking what she thought he was. "Come along,   
I'll tell you my story as we walk."  
  
Kiyone nodded, and followed him, her heart thumping madly.  
  
He can't be doing this…  
  
Why don't you just sit back and relax, Kiyone? She heard herself think.   
It ought to be enjoyable, according to what you know, and after all, you   
do love him, right?  
  
Kova, caught up with his narration, failed to notice her face redden.   
"After that, I never paid protection money. I learnt the voices of people,   
of the police, and I'd scare them off with it. They always said I was   
darned lucky, but if I've learnt anything in my life, it is that most of   
your luck is your own making."  
  
"So, what happened after that?"  
  
"Well, my stealth coupled with my voice skills enabled me to break into   
most houses rather safely, and I sharpened my skills. I also learnt how to   
handle traps and alarms, and you can say I could have become rather rich,   
and led a life of comfort from then onwards. But my activities came to the   
attention of the Juraian Administration, and they sought me out, though   
they had no evidence against me. You see, I had learnt from many places,   
listening through the roof of schools, and I knew how to read. Among the   
places open for my education was the private libraries of the houses I   
broke in. All this of course, I picked up believing it could help my   
proficiency in maintaining wealth away from the sight of authorities." He   
looked at Kiyone, who was regarding him with something close to wonder and   
disgust. "You seem a little offended."  
  
"It just seems so wrong to me, all these things."  
  
"It was about the only way open to me." He grinned. "Why didn't you   
comment earlier?"  
  
"Because I'd like to hear your story. Go on, please."  
  
"Anyway, the Juraians tried to pick me up as a Criminal Investigator,   
would you believe that?" He gave a laugh. "The fools thought they could   
turn me off crime by making me one of them, and my skill would lead to   
many arrests. I turned them down flat, and they raised the bid, not least   
because they suspected I was burgling at least four of them regularly,   
which I indeed was. Eventually I wound up a Secretary of Internal   
Security, at only about nineteen years of age."  
  
Kiyone gave a whistle of astonishment. "Are you telling me most of the   
Juraian Administrators are ex-criminals?"  
  
"No, of course not. I was the best, and they knew I was the only one   
capable of pulling off jobs on them regularly. Just for appearances' sake,   
I saw to it they did not get burgled for at least three months, before I   
sold the data I had on their security systems and interior blueprints to   
the rest of the underworld."  
  
Kiyone mentally clapped at his temerity and daring, despite knowing it   
was wrong.  
  
"The next year, someone approached me, saying he represented the Synera   
Stellar Syndicate. They offered me a position as a spy, knowing my   
background, and that I was in a building with a lot of interesting data. I   
accepted, on the grounds they trained me a little. So I enrolled in a   
blaster shooting gallery, secretly run for training. There I picked up my   
blaster skills, spacecraft piloting, data accessing skills and most   
importantly, I learnt how to disguise myself. For the last one, which I   
had an immense interest in, I actually excelled far beyond expectations,   
and the spy master there, whose name is Seida Sakanoi, gave me the   
nickname of the Chameleon."  
  
Kiyone shook her head at the pride in his words. "Did it ever occur to   
you what you were doing is wrong?"  
  
"Wrong? To the Kova Kashiro of that time there was no right or wrong. I   
was young at the time, I took up whatever I felt was thrilling and   
interesting. The Secretarial post, despite the pay, did not provide that,   
so I became a spy. For a short while, I passed data of interest to the SSS   
by duplicating them, and was duly rewarded. However, I saw to it I never   
got anything of earth shaking importance. Even back then I knew the   
importance of balance."  
  
"Weren't you ever detected?"  
  
"Rarely, and when I was, I was just doing my job in the building." He   
grinned. "Besides, I lay speakers around the place, and spoke into them   
when I needed to lure someone away, with the voice of his superior." He   
grinned like Cheshire, and Kiyone could not help but mentally applaud his   
ingenuity. "Eventually I got tired of it, it was no challenge. Bureaucrats   
weren't very sharp at anything, and I requested a transfer to from the   
Interior Security to the Diplomacy section, where the ostensibly sharper   
minds were. Given my background, it was not approved, and I got very   
bored. In the end, I requested some extra money from the SSS, duplicated   
and forged the cheque to provide me several million Juraian dollars, some   
of which I used to purchase a ship from my contacts in the Underworld, and   
started my career as a space pirate."  
  
"Most spy services usually aren't very happy about defective personnel."  
  
"Yup, so I quickly found myself the target of several extermination   
attempts. At first only some space pirates tried to kill me, up until they   
met up with my blaster. But when a bounty hunter came after me, I thought   
I was gone. I can only thank heavens it wasn't Nagi, I had no way of   
handling her at the time. Even this fellow, I think his name was Nakamoto,   
proved a handful to me. Unfortunately for him, some Syndicate ships showed   
up, probably on a tip, and I manoeuvred behind him as the SSS ships'   
lasers locked on me. I knew how they worked, I had stolen some files from   
my spy master. The lasers travelled straight to me, although Nakamoto's   
ship was between us," his eyes lighted up with the thrill of the chase.   
"And you know how powerfully armed SSS ships are. The fellow never knew   
what hit him."  
  
Kiyone shook her head, smiling. "You know, I think you would have liked   
Ryoko."  
  
"Huh? Why should I?" Kova looked surprised. "She's not the same as me.   
Maybe when I was young I was like her, but now, there's only a certain   
Kiyone-chan in my world." She smiled in acknowledgement of his feelings,   
and was gratified to see the surprise fade from his face to be replaced by   
tender warmth. "Ah, here we are."  
  
Kiyone looked up at the place. She half expected to see Bar or Hotel,   
maybe even Motel on the lighted sign, but it was not that. It was a   
Karaoke Lounge, and the neon lights were blue and yellow. She gave a   
little sigh of relief.  
  
Thank heavens. I wouldn't have known how to turn him down.  
  
Kova's face was lighted up in amusement. "Kiyone, what were you   
thinking?"  
  
"I guess I must have misunderstood you earlier."  
  
"Oh, I see. Disappointed?" He grinned wickedly, and she laughed to cover   
her rising blush. "Let's go in."  
  
They quickly settled down, as they were led to the room reserved made for   
"Mr Roshika."  
  
"Say," Kiyone asked as they followed the person up the steps. "How come   
you have so much local money on you? You just came here four days ago!"  
  
"Afterwards, Kiyone." He tipped the man off and opened the door. "Come on   
in."  
  
Kiyone looked in and gave a gasp of surprise.  
  
The interior of the rather small room was decorated with a fine velvet   
layer of light blue, like the interior of the GP Headquarters, only it had   
a softer feel to it. Opposite her a pair of dark blue curtains hung over a   
window, while to her left the television was set. Facing the television   
was a light green couch, for three people, while there was a small glass   
coffee table before it, with tea set, plus a slender porcelain vase that  
held a single red rose.  
  
On the wall behind the television two photos hung, gilded in gold frames,   
each about forty by sixty centimetres, flanking the television on either   
side. On the side nearer the door there was Kiyone, dressed in a GP   
uniform, one hand holding the blaster by her cheeks, with a ghost of a   
smile on her face, but the photo only showed her down to her chest. On the   
other side a similar image of Kova stared out at her from behind the glass   
, head tilted down, blue eyes gazing out from under his dark hair, a wry   
smile on his face. He was wearing a dark blue jacket with high collars,   
the same as the one he wore now, with his arms were folded before his   
chest, and one hand gripped a silver rod which reached up by his shoulder.  
  
"What do you think?" Kova smiled broadly, standing before the drawn, dark   
blue curtains.  
  
"It's splendid!" Kiyone threw herself on the couch, stretched herself,   
not taking her eyes off the pictures. "Where did you get that shot of me?"  
  
"On board the Yagami."  
  
Kiyone shot him a strange look. "Remind me to ask you about that later."   
He smiled in acquiescence, as Kiyone examined the picture on the right   
side, then glanced at Kova standing before the curtains. Her brows   
furrowed. The real Kova's hands weren't folded before his chest, but other   
than that there was still a slight discrepancy. "Your hair. It's not   
black, is it?"  
  
"No, it's not black. Earthlings don't often possess such hair colour, so   
I thought it wise to let it seem black. Give me a moment," he turned his   
back to her, put on his black gloves, and removed a small bottle from   
within his pocket. He poured a few drops on his gloves and ran them   
through his hair, and many specks of black dust fell out of it. When he   
turned around a few seconds later his hair was a lustrous dark blue,   
slightly darker than Kiyone's hair was green. "Chemicals really make   
things so much easier for a Chameleon like me. So, how do you like me this   
way?"  
  
"You look, well, natural…" Kiyone looked at him, and thought how his hair   
now fitted in with his hair, and his clothes. "So that was why you   
flinched at the café."  
  
"I couldn't bear to have you thinking I was someone other than myself."  
  
There was something familiar in the way he looked, standing there so   
coolly and calmly. "Say, when did you get this picture taken?" She sniffed   
at the rose. "And how is it this rose seems so fragrant?"  
  
"Both rose and photo are only about one and a half hours old. I placed   
them here just before I went to your place." Inclining his face sideways   
towards her, "There's something else I'd like to show you, Kiyone-chan."  
  
"I'm all set," Kiyone turned to him, eyes lighting up in anticipation.  
  
Turning from her, Kova ran his supple fingers down between the curtains,   
then his hands pushed them back in one smooth fluid motion.  
  
Kiyone watched as he stood back his figure outlined in the light   
streaming in from the city. The buildings opposite shone their light onto   
the river, the tallest of the skyscrapers only about half the height of   
the window seen from where they were. Below it a river ran by, its dark   
surface shining and glimmering with the myriad lights, from both sky and   
city, as though it was a liquid obsidian with countless stars set within   
it. High over the top of the buildings the scintillating stars in the   
night sky seemed to twinkle at her, and beyond it the darkness of the   
universe clung, no longer menacing, but a comforting background and foil   
to the illuminated world below.  
  
"It's just…" Kiyone stopped, speechless.  
  
"Well, I have always prided myself on being an aesthete, although a   
practical one." He looked back at her. "How do you like it?"  
  
"Well, I can't seem to get enough of it." Kiyone wondered why she had   
never noticed such things before. She had always known the stars were   
beautiful, as were the galaxies, the constellations, the trees, the plants   
and the hills. She had flown over thousands of cities, orbited hundreds of   
planets, all majestic and wondrous, yet somehow she had never quite seem   
to appreciate or rejoice in them being so.  
  
"Well, if that is really the case, how about a dip?" Kova threw open the   
window and she felt the cold night air blow into the room. "I guarantee   
both of us can dive in from here and sail well over the railing. It's only   
a five storey drop anyway, nothing we can't take." He grinned, making as   
if to, before she grabbed him and pulled him back in.  
  
"No way! I'm not going to get wet!" She pushed him in the direction of   
the couch and placed herself between him and the window. "And nor are   
you!"  
  
For a moment he considered ramming into her and sending them both out the   
window, but then he remembered he had paid for the place.  
  
"All right, later then." He reached for a microphone as he turned on the   
TV. "Care to go first?"  
  
Turning round from shutting the window, Kiyone laughed and took it from   
him. "Yes, please."  
  
Kova's eyes stared longingly at the river. "You know, we really ought to   
try that."  
  
"Maybe later," Kiyone told him. "If I'm feeling fun enough." She reached   
for another mike and tossed it to him. "Let's start off with a duet." Kova   
started flicking through the songs available.  
  
What's wrong with me? She asked herself. I don't usually act like this!  
  
You're intoxicated with pleasure. Just relax and enjoy yourself.  
  
I am *not*! I am in control of myself!  
  
Relax, take it easy. You trust him, don't you? Well, then just live the   
moment.  
  
"Let's try this 'I'm Your Angel' first, okay, Kiyone-chan?" Kova pointed.  
  
"Huh? Never heard of it. Where's it from?"  
  
"Some country around this parts - United States of America, wherever that   
is. It's a nice song, I've heard it before. Care to give it a shot?" The   
blue eyes glittered like shiny sapphires.  
  
"I'll try my best." Kiyone was unable to refuse him. "But don't you dare   
laugh at me!"  
  
"I won't. Because you'll always be my angel." There was an odd note to   
his voice, so solemn and sincere, and Kiyone felt her throat choke up with   
emotion.  
  
"You're no less than that to me, Kova-chan." And as she spoke that, she   
realised she had no idea what future she would be stepping into.  
  
It would either be heaven, or hell. There was no way of knowing.  
  
Closing her eyes, Kiyone mentally tore that thought into tiny little   
pieces as the music started.  
  
"Go on, Kiyone-chan, you first."  
  
"What? I don't know the song!" She exclaimed at him.  
  
"That's what's the words are for, see?" He grinned. "Hurry up, you've   
missed the first line!"  
  
And so she started…  
  
"…to do, is have some kind of faith  
No river is too wide to make it across  
All you have to do, is believe when you pray."  
  
Kova, his eyes dreamy at the sound of her beautiful voice, prepared for   
his section.  
  
"And then you will see the morning will come,  
In everyday will be bright as the sun  
Hold on to your fears, cast them on me"  
  
"Kiyone-chan, you're supposed to sing with me!"  
  
Stunned, Kiyone quickly shook herself out of her daze which she had   
entered upon hearing his mellow, rich, soulful song.  
  
"It's the chorus! Quick, together!"  
  
"…in the sky  
I'll be your shoulder when you cry  
I hear your voices when you call me  
I am your angel,  
  
And when all hope is gone I'm here  
No matter how far you are, I'm near  
It makes no difference who you are  
I am your angel, I am your angel"  
  
"Now, that wasn't so bad, was it?" Kova asked, speaking rather quickly,   
though his shining eyes told her he had enjoyed her singing very much.  
  
"It's a very beautiful song, and your voice is marvellous too…" Kiyone   
felt like she was living a dream, this felt so good…  
  
"Ready now, the next verse is appearing on the TV…!"  
  
And all too soon, for both of them, the song ended.  
  
"Kiyone-chan, you were magnificent!" Kova concluded. "Where in the blue   
blazes did you learn to sing so well?"  
  
"Well, I used to sing with Mihoshi, and then when we came back this year,   
Tenchi had a Karaoke room and we generally sing there every night."  
  
"Oh…" his expression dimmed. "I thought this would be special for you,   
Kiyone-chan."  
  
"It is…" She said as she looked into his eyes, then reached over for him.   
"You, the room, the river and the city, the photos… It's like I'm in a   
dream, Kova." One of his hand held hers, another arm was around her, and   
she could see the emotion welling up in his eyes as their faces drew near.   
"A dream you created, for me. And a dream you've made seem so real." Their   
lips brushed lightly against each other.  
  
"Someday," he added quietly. "This dream *will* be real."  
  
Then their lips met and locked together.  
  
Kiyone moved nearer him, her other hand holding his face, as they   
savoured the feeling, for both of them, their first kiss.  
  
It seemed they parted too soon, that their stay in paradise was too   
short, as their eyes opened. Blue on green, sapphire on emerald, their   
eyes never parted, as they contemplated lengthening their stay.  
  
If he wants me, I could never turn him down.  
  
If she advances, I don't think I could resist.  
  
Slowly, almost painfully, they backed down, their bodies drawing away   
from each other.  
  
Kova wasn't calm and detached anymore, nor was Kiyone cool and in   
control.  
  
Both were facing each other, breathing rapidly, their faces lined with   
sweat, but whether from the excitement or the fear it was hard to tell.  
  
"Kova…?" Her green eyes trembled, and she averted her face from him. "I…"  
  
"I'm sorry, Kiyone," Kova's passionate tone and the lapse from his usual   
term of endearment told her how deeply she had reached within. "Not now."  
  
Kiyone's lips were pressed tightly together, her expression tense.  
  
Kova sighed gently. "You're not that kind of person, Kiyone." A pause. "-  
chan."  
  
"Thank you," her voice was soft, and trembled slightly. "Kova-chan."  
  
"Someday, I'll make this up to you," already his determination had   
returned. "I promise."  
  
"I'll help you," she looked back up again. "Together, we'll make our   
dream come true."  
  
The sapphire stones melted into the warm waters of the lake again, and   
his tender, heart warming smile returned. "And then, we will live our   
dream, forever."  
  
"Maybe we could have a little celebration when we do," Kiyone tried, but   
the sadness was creeping back into her heart, as she thought how many   
things stood in their way. Nevertheless, she managed to hide it. "Like   
maybe another Karaoke session, just you and me?"  
  
"That'd be perfect."  
  
"And we'll have to continue from where we left off." She smiled wickedly,   
as his smile gave way to a nervous grimace.  
  
"Erm, I don't think I'm very good at that, you know." He suddenly looked   
so uncertain of himself, so young and boyish and innocent, Kiyone couldn't   
help but start giggling as the blush she had been trying to fight back   
rose with a vengeance. Kova took a quick glance at her scarlet face and   
burst out in laughter himself.  
  
"You know," Kiyone said when they had finally stopped. "Someday we ought   
to work on that."  
  
"On what? Our hopes, or about our experience?"  
  
"Kova-chan!"  
  
"Oh all right. How about just picking another song for two, shall we?"  
  
===========================================================  
  
Koneko meowed as she saw the door to the lab open behind.  
  
"Washu?"  
  
"Yes, Tenchi?" The red headed genius had her back to him, typing   
furiously at her terminal, and Tenchi watched nervously as various heavy   
machinery came to life, casting shadows in the occasional bright flashes   
of electricity.  
  
"There's something I have to tell you."  
  
"Then say it quick! I'm busy inventing something, you know!"  
  
"Erm, well, you know that call yesterday?"  
  
"Of course! Don't you forget, I am the greatest genius scientist in the   
universe!" Washu seemed strangely crabby.  
  
"Yes, Professor Washu." He fought the urge to sigh. Things just didn't   
seem so easy nowadays. "You see, Kiyone did not make that call yesterday."  
  
Washu turned around and looked curiously at him. "I thought you said it   
was Kiyone."  
  
"Well," Tenchi scratched his head. "It certainly sounded like Kiyone."  
  
Looks like I was right after all, Washu thought to herself.  
  
"All right, give me a second." Washu tapped some commands and the lab   
became still again. She then walked out the lab, still seeming a little   
irritated at the interruption, although it probably was a big break for   
her cause. Koneko however, did not seem to worry the least and followed   
Washu. Tenchi stepped aside to let them by, and closed the door behind   
him.  
  
Washu looked around the house, curiously. "Where's the rest of them?"  
  
"Oh, I left them in the Karaoke Room. I thought they might ask too many   
questions."  
  
"Growing wiser, I see. Especially because of Ryoko, right?"  
  
"Yeah, I guess. So how are you going to trace it?"  
  
"Simple, just do this..." The computer rematerialised before Washu and   
she input some commands. Within seconds the data was displayed before   
Tenchi.  
  
"Err, Washu, where's that?" He stared curiously at the goobledegook on   
the screen.  
  
"Don't bother reading it. It's in a code." She smiled at him. "You'd blow   
your mind before you even got close to deciphering this, because I was the   
one who invented it, so don't try."  
  
"Well, then, where's that?"  
  
"Some apartment in town. Sano Ren Rd, know where that is?"  
  
"I think it's near Kiyone and Mihoshi's apartment." Tencihi turned to go.   
"Give me a moment, I'll get the street directory."  
  
"Take it easy, Tenchi!" Washu tapped a few buttons and a map appeared on   
the screen with a certain building lighted up. "There, that's how I'm   
going to get there from Kiyone's place."  
  
Something rang in Tenchi's mind.  
  
"Washu, are you going alone?" Tenchi thought about the Tachyon Ray, the   
EMP and everything.  
  
"Don't worry, you just stay here, okay?" Washu reminded him. "I'll call   
for you if I think I need the three of you and Ryo-oh-ki to help."  
  
"But why?"  
  
"Look, if you go, Aeka and Ryoko and Sasami tags along. Now I'm not   
worried about Sasami, but if your two girlfriends…" Tenchi looked down at   
the ground, his face burning a bright red, but Washu continued on   
unabated. "… start fighting and give us away, our guy's gonna split like a   
neutron-bombarded uranium atom, and once he's out in space with that ship   
of his, I think a likely start to our options would be to say 'Ta-ta, so   
long now' to this planet Earth of yours. So there."  
  
Tenchi was silent as Washu turned resolutely away. Koneko rubbed itself   
against him, before running off after the redhead.  
  
=== End of Chapter ===  
  
NEXT CHAPTER : No Need for a Heavenly Night  
  
NOTES:  
Kova is in a way, an SIed character. Pls include him in your  
comments, whether I have portrayed him as a person, as a friend  
or foe, as one of the gang, and most importantly, as a human being.  
  
I have never in my whole life read a love story or romance novel  
before. I would be very grateful if my readers could give me some  
feedback on this, as it is the first time I've ever tried to set  
such things down in writing.  
  
I hope you have enjoyed this Fanfic as much as I have typing it.  
If there are any more grammar errors, I beg your forgiveness, as  
my sole proofreader is myself.  
  
This is my first FF, so go ahead and mail me at zyraen@yahoo.com  
with comments, especially on character portrayal, realism.  



	7. PROLOGUE No Need for Liberation

BACKGROUND (22/10/2000) :

Heh, I had a rather bad spell wif a friend of mine who was

giving me C&C yesterday, and somehow I got the impression

he was flaming me. Anyway I lost my head, then he lost his.

I was so upset I juz went to my word processor and this

Prologue emerged at my fingertips , although I was

raging at the time.

XXXXX, if u really are out there, I juz want to let u noe,

this fic is for you... . If we make it up to each other,

I'll write your name here wif your blessings, and dedicate

this piece to you.

Basically this fic does not change the plot, juz answers many

numerous questions about the character's nature and where

he really stands with respect to Washu.

I've shown this to my Proofreader Serajadeyn and he gives me

the thumbs up, saying this will not interrupt or make the fic

weaker, so here it is .

That's about it, I'm a simple soul at heart...

Disclaimer :

Most characters in this story are property of AIC and Pioneer.

They are in such a situation solely because of my imagination.

This story was written purely for fun.

DARKNESS & LIGHT - No Need For Kova

By Zyraen

PROLOGUE : No Need for Liberation

Okay, time to check…

Putting down his pen, he quite casually flicked through his course

completion paper, checking to make sure that all was to his

satisfaction before he submitted it. First he went through the

elementary open ended answers.

Right, right, right, wrong, wrong, right, right, wrong, right right,

right, right, wrong, right…

Satisfied with his solutions, he moved on to his experimental

planning, including the essay on the procedure as well as the

necessary calculations involved.

Bad point, standard point, good, bad. Standard, good, wrong, good

point, standard, bad…

Still not touching his pen he checked his calculations, and noted

that there was an intermediate value that he substituted a wrong

constant for.

There… I'm done.

He glanced at his watch.

Ah well, looks like it's fifteen minutes more.

Turning his paper over, he sat back and picked up his pen, as the

rest of the candidates bustled on their work. Twirling the pen about

absently in his fingers, to an onlooker he would have seemed a

candidate stumped by a question, but this is what went through his

mind.

Heh, no Alpha this time round again…

My ticket to freedom…

His fingers ran tenderly over the smooth metallic surface of the

sleek unit he had built, with its silver surface shining back at him,

and the gleam from its shine lighted up his blue eyes behind his

steel spectacle frames with joy and anticipation. They trembled with

excitement as he admired its surface, of adamantine, silvery steel…

He had known all along what he would call it, right from the time he

conceptualised it. There was a perfect name, an item that

symbolised its speed and range and size and deadliness.

Oh yes, it was deadly.

He thought to himself with a smile. It had taken a long time and

much of his energy, ingenuity, combined with all the new things he

had learnt, along with many other not so conventional avenues of

knowledge, to finally fit the device into the unit. And he would have

left back then, about ten months ago, except that he had learnt

about a new item he could use.

The professor had returned to a warm reception, which she greeted

with her usual, typically endearing modesty, to embrace her

chairmanship. To tell the truth, he had been surprised at her

appearance and demeanour, even though he already knew how she

looked like.

I wonder if she would have made a good spy, he had thought.

Since then, he had learnt more about her, and most interestingly, of

her latest invention…

He sighed as his hands left the surface of the metal.

What a wonderful piece of work…

He frowned.

This is my weapon. It is my defence, my ticket out of here. And that

is all it is…

It was dangerous for him at times, and things were getting more

difficult now. Assuming another personality, while only minorly

different from his own, was trying on his energies, and there were

times the pseudo person within him threatened to overwhelm his

old, pragmatic, energetic, eager and enterprising side. Now, being

himself again, he cast a critical look at the unit.

All along, it had troubled him that his creation had no convenient

way of entering or leaving, had no… user mobility.

I must get this done… It will be done. He turned away.

Then glanced back at the unit.

It would open the world, the galaxies… I will be able to roam freely,

fearing nothing… the universe beyond this drab, ascetic place

called to him…

He closed his eyes, and whether it was truly him or his pseudo

personality that thought next, he knew not, which was

discomforting in itself.

It can wait… I can leave any time… only when I leave I must be well

equipped.

Reluctantly he wrenched his gaze from the unit, and let his other

consciousness take over him completely. Settling into his bench, he

looked through the paper, and his latest designs and calculations,

refreshing his mind, before pulling from the machine in front of him

all the materials and tools he needed, plus some other non-standard

material he had gathered for the purpose of this project.

It would have been extremely difficult, but his mind was still fresh

from his previous attempts and experimentation with the other

project of his, so it wasn't as difficult as it might otherwise have

been.

It was after a seven-day sabbatical in his workroom, islolated,

having worked for nearly a hundred and sixty hours, that his worn

and haggard figure finally let out a sigh of relief.

Thank god for my enhanced stamina, he thought.

Beside him was an empty container, slightly over three litres

capacity, and its insides were stained brown. By its side was an

empty cup, also stained brown here and there.

And for caffeine.

Forcing his bleary eyes open, he tested the weapon against the

laptop he had, by placing it on a pad linked to his terminal.

Yes, perfect… the balance, everything had been maintained. I have

lost no edge, lost no ground in this aspect. The DNA reactive

component was still within too, as well as the signature mark.

Excitement and exhilaration, as he had often craved experiencing,

rushed into his veins again, driving away his weariness, and he

picked the device off the pad, holding it in his hand, and turned so

he had the space to test his device out.

Blue light filled the room as he activated the device, and lit his face

up in a splendid azure glow, causing the steel frame of his glasses

to shine cerulean, and made his neatly parted brown hair seem to

darken to black. Smiling somewhat, he swung his device around a

little.

Good, that function still works, but it was in there already, and

elementary anyway.

He picked up something a corner on the floor, something that

looked like a hollow cylinder, but with what looked like synthetic

fibres and some grey, synthetic skin in the middle. Wires ran from it

to his terminal. Tapping the tip of the rod twice with his thumb, he

inserted the rod into the cylinder, and let go.

Nothing changed it seem, except for the numbers on the screen.

Not bad… he read the numbers off. Reaction time point zero five

seconds, voltage two thousand. Okay… now for the most crucial

test.

Tentatively, trying to force himself to stay calm, he gently shifted the

item, a certain point out, and pride and joy swelled in him as he

beheld a small gap, a void…

Gingerly picking up a tool from the bench by his side, he lobbed it

into the rift, and another rift opened up at the opposite end of the

room, where the object fell out.

EUREKA! IT WORKS! All right! I'm great, ain't this neat!?

His brows furrowed together.

Right, big deal. What did you expect? You pulled all the right spots,

correct?

Trembling, he drew it up before him, then his eyes were staring into

the unknown darkness, into nothingness…

It will work…

One by one, he steadily gathered up all the remaining items from the

workbench, and lobbed them gently through the hole. Each and

every one emerged at the far end of the room…

All right, it should work… does work… all my calculations and

designing are precise, besides records have it that at least four

people have used such a portal, including the great Washu herself,

so it should work…

You're getting soft, part of his mind snorted back at him. Hello?

He grinned dangerously.

Here goes then…

"There you are, Yoda," an eager, husky voice greeted him as he

emerged from his room. "I've been looking for you."

He sighed, his voice gravelly, even though he had treated himself to

some cups of soothing tea and a good four hours' rest since he

completed what he deemed his magnum opus. "So, what is it now,

Marasa?" He turned to face the voluptuous, svelte brunette wearily.

Her laughter sounded as she caught his expression of distaste in

his words and face, and his scowl deepened in response. "Come

on, why are you such a tough nut to crack?" she joked.

He rolled his eyes. "Am I the only guy in this entire Academy that

you haven't slept with?"

"Well… the only one who looks under thirty-five, I guess."

"Who are into the bets you ladies are laying on laying me?" He

asked, sounding almost accomodating. Marasa wasn't the worse of

them, and he might have to keep on his toes for the others. He still

felt the fear the first time he had been approached, over thirty years

ago. Not to mention one day when he spotted someone trying to

spike his drink with aphrodisaic.

"Let's see…" Marasa thought. "Me, Karima, Janimi, Gesuki, and

Sekura."

He smiled, slightly to himself. One of the reasons why he let Marasa

come near him was that she was in a way, the most trusting and

open, and she wasn't as forward as the others. In his eyes, she was

the pick of a very bad lot. "Only? What happened to Tamura?"

Though he knew, of course.

"She said she wasn't interested in you 'bastard', and that if we were

thinking to get you, we had better take care." Marasa thought a bit.

"She's a real looker, you know that? What happened anyway?"

"Heh," his smile broadened.

The woman had been astonished when he casually ordered her out,

despite her being well… dressed in her birthday suit, then became

dumbfounded as he, looking straight and disinterestedly at her,

casually started tossing glass vials at her. Barely half a second after

the first one had sailed just by her head and smashed into the wall,

he noted her face had turned pale when she heard the hissing

crackle as the acid inside ate into the wall. The next vial just barely

missed her body, then she had turned to make a run for it. He had

tossed two more after her, aiming to miss, as usual, just to make

sure.

"Believe me, Marasa, you don't want to know." He laughed a little

more. "You really don't want to know."

"So… none of them have gotten to you yet, right?"

"I should think so." He said carefully.

"They say you pretend they don't exist…"

"I suppose it is rather hard to lay a person who can't seem to notice

you…" He replied cautiously.

"That makes me special to you!" Marasa announced jubilantly.

"Come on, you acknowledge me, you talk to me, you greet me, but

you don't bother with them…"

He frowned. "Look, that's because you aren't as extreme as them.

Believe me, if you try something like what they do, I'll treat you no

differently." He paused a while. "Besides, you are willing to tell me

things without bargaining with me." He sighed again. "And why the

hell are you people bothering with me at all? I'm not handsome, not

brilliant in the Academy, never got an Alpha in the past ten years,

never won any prizes, and hell I'm shorter than you with your

high-heels on!"

"Oh…" she looked uncertain, then laughed. "Well almost all the

other tough guys have been taken care of in one way or another…

there's only you from the under thirty-five category left."

"Look, I've told you people before and I say it again, I am NOT under

thirty-five! I came in when I was twenty-five, and that was frigging

forty years ago!"

"Heh… but you look it, and that's what counts… besides…" she

laughed. "Out of our group, how many of us do you think are

really under twenty-five?"

"None." He answered, without a doubt. "Look, I got to go now, so if

you please…" He turned and moved…

She reached out to seize his arm, but he ignored it, his pace not

slowing in the least. Marasa cursed as she ran two steps, still

refusing to let go, and jumped…

He didn't pause as her lithe, slim, youthful seeming arms wrapped

around his shoulders, instead his pace didn't slow, and she had to

keep her feet moving quickly or be dragged of him.

"Marasa, I am warning you. If you were any one of the others, I'd

have gripped you by the neck as you tried that," He answered, his

voice calm and steady.

"But don't you…?"

"I have never known love before, and I don't intend to learn it from

you harlots."

Something in Marasa riled at that. "HEY! I'll have you know I got

straight Alphas for all the projects and test in my advanced space

technology course!"

"I am warning you again. I have no qualms about striking those

who try this kind of thing. Now I will count to three, and if you're still

with me by then, I assure you you will wake up in the infirmary

twelve hours from now. And if you even try choking me…"

Marasa's eyes widened as she felt a cold metal point press hard

against her clothing into her side.

"One…"

She felt herself recoil in fear.

"Two…"

She heard his cold, steely words again… 'I'm warning you…' and let

go.

He was almost five metres down the corridor from her before she

stood steadily back on her feet.

"Damn you Yoda!" She cried, frustration and anger in her voice.

"Why won't you give!?"

"Because I never will… not to your kind." His pace didn't slow.

"Now one of the others will get to you!"

"Your concern is noted, but badly misplaced." His receding figure

sent a mocking laugh down the corridors. "Thank you, Marasa,"

and disappeared around a corner.

DAMN, Marasa thought, grinding her teeth together. Could have

sworn he was warming up to me… he even laughed.

Cursing at how she had been thwarted, she went back to her room

to bury herself in her latest project…

Stepping back into the room, he smiled to himself as he looked

about the one of many Virtual Reality chambers within the Science

Academy. These were generally set up to go about the room, and

the settings and options available on the programs were generally

suited to the program used. Students themselves were welcome to

write programs that detailed and reacted to some stimuli, as well as

insert random processes into the VR program.

This particular room was one of the semi-arena types, used for

larger programs, and he had written, or rather modified, various

programs for the purposes of testing it out here, an activity he also

called 'practice'. In response to his enhanced reactions, he had

taken the liberty of speeding up the program speed levels by about

fifty percent, and randomised it.

Sensory cameras were mounted from various angles about the

room, so they could see through the VR, as well as observe the

simulation, although this was rarely the case unless operators

deemed it fit for it to do so. Unfortunately, there were other, more

conventional ways to confound the cameras.

He grinned as he noted the photos pasted to the front of the

cameras. They had not even seen him enter the room. After he had

been done with them, he had donned the skin tight simulation suit,

which effectively covered his whole body. The suit was flexible and

designed to exert pressures of varying force and strength on

various parts of the body. Within it there was a thin, disposal inner

suit of material that was actually in contact with the skin of the user,

and every user was expected to fit in a new one and dispose of it

after use, for hygiene purposes. Now there left only the headgear for

him to don, and he removed his spectacles followed by his contact

lenses.

Remember, he reminded himself. First half an hour, space warfare,

next half hour, blaster training. The next half hour will be solely the

silver rod, then the next one hour, the laser armaments, and for the

next one and a half that, a wild free for all.

As he put on the light headgear that would simulate his eyes and

ears, the room dissolved away…

As always he felt a pang of nostalgia, as he sat down at the helm of

his ship, to look out upon the darkness of space, and the familiar

controls and consoles. In reality it had been forty years since the

Wanderer had fallen to ruins…

Then he grinned as he felt the old thrill race through his veins, his

ship sensors picked up over five enemy ships approaching from

various directions homing about his coordinates… In a breast

pocket his blaster was nestled, an old companion whom he never

quite could bring himself to forsake, while else where about him, a

silver rod…

Bring them on… he thought, as he manuevered the Wanderer into a

headspin, and golden lasers streaked through the darkness of his

space, barely missing the outline of the swiftly moving ship.

Silver beams shot out from within his ship, to race towards the

enemy craft locked on in his sights, and as the enemy came flying in

and loosing salvoes in retaliation, Yoda Shiro gradually dissolved

into nothingness.

He sipped his tea, and gave a loud sigh of contentment.

Oh man, that was one great work out! It is great to exercise after

seven days in that miserable room of mine…

He smiled, as he thought how he had emerged from the VR room,

adrenalin running through him in surges. It was satisfying to know

he held his own against a simulated character that was

programmed to NEVER be defeated, as well as having just about

random and swift execution of numerous moves and strokes he

could gather from all the fighting organisations about the universe.

Okay, on to the next task at hand…

It is logically sound and understandable, given the nature of

subspace dimensions, that they can be used to carry out

experiments as they obey all the rules of the universe they currently

inhabit. Therefore it follows that I can store things in here, and even

travel through here.

Carefully, gingerly, he open the insides of the silvery unit, and

adhered the functions to controls, so he could employ his latest

addition to his arsenal.

Heh, piece of cake. It's just about controlling and applying stimuli…

should be done in a jiffy. Then I can pay a visit to some of my old

friends.

Humming lightly to himself, he crawled through the narrow passage

way. It was so narrow there was no way he could even bend his

elbows, except to dig into the sides of the shaft, and his shoulder

muscles had to strain continuously to curl down and in front of him

so he would not get stuck. The designer had assumed, rightly, that

no one in his right mind would go through the ventilator system.

Unfortunately, the person obviously never counted on a person not

being in his right mind in the first place, and of a person who was as

determined as he was.

His body cut across yet another one of the invisible infrared lines,

but no alarm went off. Which was no big deal really. After learning

how to alter the security settings here, which incidentally took him

well over six months to figure out, it had been no worry at all.

It was much easier now, than it was when he first arrived, due to his

enhancements, but the rite of passage was nevertheless still a

grueling exercise even for one such as him. That it was an exercise

he welcomed, a way to keep in shape, was one of the reasons why

he employed this method of access rather than using the subspace

rift he had just learnt how to use. The other reason is that

occasionally, he had to admit saw some pretty interesting things

from where he wandered. Sleeping, busy people, people having fun

together… Although it was old, in a way it was still an experience, to

never cease wondering at how one who looked drab, uninteresting

and utterly ascetic in the day could be comely, serene and human

as one slept.

Ah, here we are, the last room.

There wasn't enough space for him to see through past his hands

to what he was doing, but his fingers worked nevertheless, sliding

out from his long sleeves the various tools he would need. First a

sight tube went through, to check on the room, and the headgear he

wore projected an image of a slumbering person, in the darkness of

the shaft, and he knew it was safe to proceed.

Securing the cover first with certain removable hinges, he then

inserting a flexible screw driver through the thin slits in the cover

and unscrewed the covers. Pushing gently, the cover swung down,

soundlessly as the hinges dampened the movement, and worked to

prevent it from making any sound.Wriggling through the shaft like a

worm, he emerged from the ventilator, until his shoulders were free.

Removing a thick bar from within his works, he placed it before him,

in the air, it stayed there, hovering as he turned it on. Gripping it

firmly with both hands, he pulled the rest of his body out from the

shaft, then pressing another button on the bar, let it levitate down

until his feet soundlessly came into contact with the floor four

metres below the opening of the shaft.

Letting go of the levitating bar, he took a glance at the restful figure,

with his broad face, in life too often wearing a gregarious smile. No

one would have thought this sunny person could actually be a spy

for the Syndicate, and he did his work rather well, at least for his

level. However, the one who watched his repose knew better.

His gloved hands sifting through the scans he knew the person

always kept in a secret compartment, he checked the data, as he

customarily did, once a month. He made it a point to monitor these

spies as best as he could, as the Science Academy was full of

potentially promising material that, if brought to the attention of

either Jurai, Galaxy Police, or the Synera Stellar Syndicate, could

result in the creation of a weapon that could well incite an

inter-galactic war as the empire with the advantage struck out in bid

to seek universal dominion.

Quite ironically, it was himself that held in his hands such an item,

but he had no intention to ever let anyone alive know about it being

in his possession.

After all, it is only to be used in self defence and extreme

circumstances. My own EMP device should suffice to deal with

regular threats.

Well, looks like he also has this particular gem… he thought as he

looked at the note.

It was not the deadly armament that he himself had acquired, just a

modest notes on insidious biological warfare and on mutating then

mass producing a very rare, almost unheard of virus strain that

could well spell calamity for countless colonies throughout the

galaxy.

Quite carefully, he opened a portal with his rod, and reached in, to

produce a piece of paper, and part of him marvelled at this particular

invention's utility.

Truly Washu is a genius of the highest order!

He smiled at the sleeping man. It had been over four years this

person had obtained a lover in the Academy, a lady, whose

chambers he had visited about half an hour ago. It might have been

a coincidence that she also had this piece of vital information, but

he doubted it. After all, she was working for the Juraians. As for who

stole from who, he sincerely didn't give a damn for.

As he did earlier, he picked up the piece of offending information,

and replaced the paper with a slip that was utterly identical, except

in one crucial aspect - the virus strain would not in fact be a long

lived one. By altering several minor points on altering the mutation

of the original strain, it would be such that the virus would be

unable to reproduce in any form, and effectively cause its own

extinction. If it did survive, it would be harmless, as it produces

non-toxic products. Also, the original name of the virus strain, by

changing a single letter in the spelling, would in fact refer to a

different, more common strain, which would die in the process of

undergoing the alterations, both original and modified.

Jumping back onto the bar, still hovering soundlessly, slightly

below two metres above the ground, he reached up with his hands

at the ventilator shaft and the cover. Removing from the cover the

hinges, he tossed into the rift that was still below him, where he had

taken out the paper, and replaced the cover, taking care to screw it

back on securely.

Then opening the portal he got back down on the floor, and using

his silver rod to widen the portal, stepped through, to emerge back

into his own room.

It is indeed a splendid tool, he marvelled as he admired the

subspace rift. Finally settling down for a rest, he carefully tore the

tanned skin off his face, removed the small folds of fat under his jaw

and around his cheeks, as well as the flesh toned material that

lowered his jawline. He pulled the tanned brown gloves from his

hands, and removed the extra material that made his fingers seem

thicker and shorter than they really were. Applying some powder to

his fingers, he ran his fingers through his grey hair, and it became

lustrous brown. Then he clipped his shoulder length hair together,

close to his scalp, then combed it neatly into his customary side

parting.

"Welcome back, Yoda," he smiled to himself.

There was one room that he feared entering though. That was the

lab in the higher level of the Academy, belonging to a particular

professor Washu. He had only ever been there once, and much

knowledge he had gleaned in there. Most significant was how to

actually reduce the mass required for a device to create the rift, and

the other was so astonishing, he almost could not believe it.

His weapon had far greater destructive power than he had ever

imagined. Unfortunately, even the original device was so difficult to

miniaturise, he knew it would be folly to attempt to alter it further for

adjustable controls, and still hope to fit it into his unit.

Since that visit, he had never dared enter the lab again. He knew it

was safer not to take chances, and besides, he had often the

suspicion that she had her sights on him, as in found his activities

noteworthy, and might be on his trail.

He might have rested more easily if he had known Washu never

flipped through or checked her paper notes. She had only made

copies in obligation for the Science Academy rules, and all of the

material she actually made reference to were stored in her spectral

computer.

However, he was right in his suspicion that she was watching him.

Of all the pupils, she had found him noteworthy for the extent of his

range of knowledge, and the nature of his projects. It had also been

somewhat astonishing for her to note that he had, in the course of

forty years, he had consistently achieved between Beta and Delta

for his course graduation papers and his projects. Alpha

achievement had only been awarded to him twice, apparently

happening only once every twenty years… His projects, while full of

promise, tended to achieve mediocre results due to some

experimental planning, design or calculation flaw, rather than

conceptual errors.

Looks like I am finished here…

Ah…To be free… to be free at last…

These thoughts filled his mind as his eyes sprang open from his

sleep, and a smile of pleasure crossed his face…

Then he sighed…

I shall miss this place. It has been okay while it lasted.

His mind wandered far away, to admire the beauty and wonder of

the countless landscapes he had seen - awe inspiring rock

formations, monuments to nature's majesty; frigid barren tundras

and the sweltering parched deserts, forbidding and lifeless, yet also

captivating and teeming with unseen lifeforms ; ivory sands of

beaches flanked by towering cliff heights, a beautiful contrast of the

serenity of nature against its heights ; of galaxies and nebulas of

stars, splitting through the darkness in myriad colours and forms

and lights, each and every one unique, reminding him of the

ubiquity of beauty even in the emptiness of space.

Yes, it's been nice here, but I've got to move on. The rest of the

universe is waiting out there, and now I should be able to handle

them tolerably, with the knowledge and changes that I have formed

about myself here…

But my experiments, my projects? There is so much more to learn,

so much more knowledge to glean, so many more fields to delve

into, countless wellsprings of information untapped…

I'm sorry, but I have to leave. I think I'm being watched, and I have

always trusted my instincts. Also, I don't wish to stay here forever, I

wish to apply what I have learnt out there…

Ah well, I guess you are right. It might work… just an experiment,

right?

He smiled.

Right, I guess. This life is an experiment, after all, I have no idea

where I'm going.

Hmm, application on the spot… just like I used to do…

Yes.

He walked towards the silvery shiny unit.

It is time to face the world out there again.

Opening it, he settled down comfortably into the seat.

Are you ready? Will you help me?

The silver rod was inserted into a hole within the unit, and appeared

at the tip, mounted at the front of the craft.

Yes… but one last request, please…

There was a shudder in the room, then an inky darkness appeared

before the unit, and he could see through the glass into the void.

Okay… here we go then…

There was a rush of engines, barely discernible, as it ran so

smoothly… Then suddenly the room was empty.

High over the Science Academy, there was a flash of silver, as an

object appeared in orbit over it. Within it, someone looked, even as

he was dying.

There… take a good look.

The blue eyes rove over the place below him. From above here, the

complex was nowhere as impressive as it looked, after all it had

been built for Science, not for aestethics. The watcher looked down,

remembering all the memories and exhilarations, of the objects

created, the successful projects, of fathoming secrets and

achieving objectives through sheer hard work and determination.

The space craft hung in the air for a long time, unseen and

unnoticed.

All right… I'm ready.

Very well then, let's go.

As his hand pushed the throttle up, the ship raced forward into the

darkness of space.

And I shall embrace what the fates have in store for me…

End of Prologue

PLEASE send COMMENTS & CRITICISMS! (C&C)

IMPORTANT :

I'm seriously worried I may have serious difficulty finishing D&L b4

Jan 2000, so in case that happens I want to set up some kind of mailing

list for D&L. Basically it will tell u when a new chapter comes out.

Please mail your Name & Email to no other data is reqd.

If u like u can provide your age, sex, and readiness to C&C.

I hope you have enjoyed this Fanfic as much as I have typing it.

If there are any more grammar errors, please mail me too . Me

and Serajadeyn are my only Proofreaders.

This is my first FF, so go ahead and mail me at comments, especially on character portrayal, realism.

PLEASE send COMMENTS & CRITICISMS! (C&C)


	8. No Need for a Heavenly Night

Disclaimer :  
Most characters in this story are property of AIC and Pioneer.  
They are in such a situation solely because of my imagination.  
This story was written purely for fun.  
  
This FF is based on the TV Series, with some powers drawn over  
from the OAV, but with no Light Hawk Wings.  
  
This story contains no sex, so please do not expect it.  
  
Before I wrote this Fanfic, I have only read 2 Fanfics, Aikan  
Muyo and To Love & To Hate. Since then I have read some others,  
and have noted some writers have a tendency to portray some  
characters inaccurately. I hope I have not fallen into that trap.  
  
That's about it, I'm a simple soul at heart...  
  
  
DARKNESS & LIGHT - No Need For Kova  
  
By Zyraen  
  
Chapter VII : No Need for a Heavenly Night  
  
The music gradually faded away as Kova and Kiyone put their mikes on the   
table.  
  
"It's getting late, Kova-chan. Shall we be going now?" Kiyone asked as   
she leaned back, a little tired, but happy nonetheless.  
  
"Come on, Kiyone-chan, it's only eleven thirty. I've paid for this place   
till twelve. Besides, aren't we enjoying ourselves?" He emptied another   
cup of tea.  
  
"I know I am," Kiyone smiled back. "Though it does feel strange to be   
drinking tea at a Lounge. I thought this place usually sold something   
more, well, strong."  
  
Kova smirked at her. "Well, I've never had much of a taste for sake and   
the like, but if you like, I've got some here." He walked over to a   
cupboard and opened it to reveal some bottles of the stuff.  
  
"No thank you. I was just wondering."  
  
"Well, I brought the tea and the tea set along." He mused, half to   
himself as he looked at the table with the pot and the cups. "It does look   
kind of weird in this place." He cast his eye over the velvet walls. "But   
I like the room's walls colour and texture, especially those beside the   
television." The Kiyone and Kova hung up on either side seemed to smile   
back at them.  
  
"Of course, you do," Kiyone commented. "You set it up yourself, didn't   
you?"  
  
"No. But I did pay a considerable sum to get it renovated to my liking,   
so I guess you could be right," he started looking through the list again.   
"Let's see, what next?"  
  
Kiyone looked out of the window at the city and the river. Some of the   
lights had gone out, but the deepening night had cast another soothing   
layer of velvet over the scenery.  
  
Just like the room.  
  
"How about…" Kova started.  
  
"…stopping for a while?" Kiyone finished. Kova looked at her, a little   
puzzled. "I'm thirsty, and besides, I'd love to hear the end of your   
story."  
  
"Oh, that? Where did I stop?" An odd gleam was in his eye.  
  
"Quit fooling around, you know where you stopped. After you became a   
space pirate and got Nakamoto killed." Kiyone replied.  
  
"Well, anyway I dodged the SSS ships by hiding out on a planet, and so I   
got away. Before long I found out being a space pirate wasn't all it was   
cracked up to be. Stealing things and shipments from convoys were rather   
routine after you've done it for the tenth time, although you still feared   
the odd blaster or two in your back. It was also very brutal, I had to get   
rid of quite a few ships just to get to the cargo ship, and inside that   
ship I'd have to kill at least another four people, and that was if I was   
careful."  
  
Kiyone silently gulped to herself as she thought how many children he   
must have orphaned and how many wives he must have widowed.  
  
He caught the look in her eye and sighed. "I know it was wrong, and up to   
this day, I swear to you, Kiyone-chan, I have never taken pleasure in   
killing. At first I felt victorious at getting away alive and with the   
swag, but towards the end I just had to do it out of necessity. Being a   
space pirate isn't half as subtle or intriguing as being a spy or a   
burglar." He sighed again. "Very quickly, I found myself ostracised among   
the space pirates themselves. I never attacked large convoys, except for   
my first two, which were SSS, just to spite my old mentor Seida, and they   
despised me and called me a coward for it, while inwardly I cursed them   
for being so casual with taking lives. Others also tried to hunt me down,   
for I had killed someone they knew, who was very probably trying to kill   
me, or mainly because the Syndicate had asked them to terminate me, or   
both. My distaste for alcohol and debauchery also made me an outcast   
there." His eyes saddened. "I wasn't a very successful space pirate, and   
my new trade only made me grow older, to think more about life. I would   
spend all my time alone in my spaceship, picking up things to kill my   
boredom. I picked up, among many other things, cooking."  
  
"So that was why you were so good at it." Kiyone thought back to that   
meal with pleasure.  
  
"Trust me, I had a really looong time to practise. Yet despite that,   
there were things I just felt I had done right. There was this time, when   
I was about twenty seven, and I saw this group of space pirate ships   
flying around a fleet of passenger carriers. The debris around showed the   
remnants of the carriers' escort, and those ships were just circling   
around them and loosing their weak cannons like they were shooting fish in   
a barrel." Kova's expression darkened as his eyes blazed with fury. "They   
were murdering hundreds of thousands of people just for fun!"  
  
"What did you do?" Kiyone was surprised to find that a space pirate could   
think like her.  
  
What did you expect? She asked herself. Aren't space pirates also human,   
like Ryoko?  
  
It's just that I've never thought about that…  
  
"They had destroyed two out of the ten carriers when I pretended to join   
in the fun, and I shot one of their crafts, presumably by accident. Then   
immediately after that I took down their leader, before they came after   
me. All six of them. I remember telling myself, I must not die, I must   
kill them or the carrier fleet would be doomed. I managed to finish the   
one I had damaged earlier, and then another, before I fled. They came   
after me, just as I thought they would, and my ship got damaged in the   
chase. I crashed on a deserted desert planet, all strewn with dust and   
wind.  
  
"There I waited for them, lying by the wreck of my craft like I was   
mortally wounded. The first chap who stood over me crowed to his partners   
my position, the last sound he ever made before my blaster cut him down.   
Somehow I managed to shoot down another two, before I got struck." Kiyone   
noted the tense fear on his face, the way he stared into space, lost in   
the depths of his story. "My right arm was injured, and I remember the   
face of that woman standing a distance away from me, with her mocking   
smile, but the anger was showing plain in her eyes as she levelled her gun   
at me. Then she heard her dead comrade call to her, through me, and she   
paused, for a moment."  
  
He sat back, looking exhausted. "I killed her then, with my blaster in my   
left hand. Though I knew she was a vicious killer, I wasn't proud of   
killing her that way. She died with hope in her eyes, believing that the   
sand was ruining her vision , that somehow one of her comrades was still   
alive."  
  
"What happened to you, then? Stranded on a deserted planet, with four   
ships orbiting above you that you couldn't use?"  
  
"The GP came along to investigate, and I believe the carrier fleet   
personnel told them about me. They came searching and detected my distress   
signal, so they took me and the four empty ships into custody. I managed   
to convince them I was the one who had rescued the carriers, and they   
treated me with somewhat more respect than a common criminal. Nevertheless,  
the Galaxy Police Officers struck me as very cold and detached. I knew they   
envied my handiwork, having shot down three of seven ships then killing   
the remaining four pirates, and they definitely agreed with my motivation,   
but they never really showed me they did." He looked straight at her as he   
continued. "Were you like that, and would you have continued to be so if   
you never met me?"  
  
"Yes… I guess." Kiyone seemed a little embarrassed.  
  
"So, I didn't guess wrongly." He quickly glancing at his watch, "There's   
only ten more minutes till twelve, Kiyone-chan. What say we do a last   
number?"  
  
"Fine by me. I suppose you have a song in mind."  
  
"You read me superbly, Kiyone-chan." He reached for a different album. "I   
knew we'd come to this moment sooner or later, so this is the song - 'If I   
Never Knew You.'"  
  
"What's it about?" Though Kiyone was almost certain she knew.  
  
"About two different people from two different worlds." He said as he sat   
back close by her side, face inclined to her, and for a moment she thought   
he'd kiss her again. "It's about us. And don't worry, Kiyone-chan, this   
time I get to go first." And the soothing music filled the room.  
  
If I never knew you  
If I never felt this love  
I would have no inkling of  
How precious life can be  
  
And if I never held you  
I would never have a clue  
How at last I'd find in you  
The missing part of me  
  
"Hey, isn't it my turn, yet?" She teased.  
  
"Just hang on, two more stanzas." His voice was calm, as though the music   
soothed him.  
  
……  
I'd have lived my whole life through  
Lost forever  
If I never knew you  
  
"She's all yours!"  
  
And Kiyone took up the song.  
  
If I never knew you  
I'd be safe but half as real  
Never knowing I could feel  
A love so strong and true  
  
I'm so grateful to you  
I'd have lived my whole life through  
Lost forever  
If I never knew you  
  
Kova's rich baritone sounded again.  
  
I thought our love would be so beautiful  
  
Looking right at him…  
  
Somehow we made the whole world bright  
  
Two voices as one…  
  
I never knew that fear and hate could be so strong  
All they'd leave us were these whispers in the night  
But still my heart is singing  
We were right  
  
Kiyone felt her heart soar as the song went on, taking her and Kova up   
high on invisible wings, and he smiled back, with his arm close around   
her, as though she were all that mattered to him. And as the song drew to   
a close, he put down the microphone.  
  
And If I never knew you  
I'd have lived my whole life through  
  
Kiyone let hers down too.  
  
Empty as the sky  
  
Just the two of us.  
  
Never knowing why  
Lost forever  
If I never knew you  
  
The music slowly faded away into silence, depositing them both back in  
the mundane world. But somehow, it didn't seem that bad, not when they   
were together.  
  
"You know, I loved the part, at the end, when we put down the   
microphones." Kiyone commented, still feeling the warm touch of his arm   
around her, though she did not snuggle up by his side, and he did not try   
to pull her near.  
  
"Yes, that's why I did it. It felt like we were singing our emotions to   
each other, didn't it?"  
  
"And we meant the every word we said. I wish I had your taste in these   
things."  
  
"You always have." He brought his face near hers and brushed her cheeks   
with his lips. Even though they had already consummated a full kiss, they   
could still feel each other tingle with delight. Then Kova stood up, and   
picked the rose out of the vase. "For you, Kiyone-chan."  
  
"Why, thank you!" As she held it she noted it had no thorns on it. "Say,   
Kova-chan, how come this rose has no thorns on it?"  
  
"I thought we had enough thorns on both of us, so this rose wouldn't need   
any."  
  
"And we are going to whittle away our differences the way you did with   
this, right?"  
  
He nodded, knowing she saw right through him to his heart. "When we first   
met I was an enigma to you, wasn't I?"  
  
"Well, what was I to think when a stranger looked at me while asking my   
partner for her name? And thrust the extra things he had purchased in my   
hands an hour later?" Kiyone retorted, though her eyes told him she was   
just playing along.  
  
"Well, now you read me like a book." He took the golden framed photos off   
the wall and tucked it under his arms, and Kiyone was sorry to see them   
taken down. In his other hand he held the vase.  
  
"Almost, but not quite." Kiyone wondered if she should spring the   
question about the Tachyon Ray and the Science Academy on him, then   
decided against it. "I need to know more about you. Do finish your story   
tonight. And I'd like to hear how you came by so much of the domestic   
currency."  
  
"And also tell you about how I got aboard the Yagami." As he spoke, she   
saw before her own eyes, a silver rod suddenly appear in his hands, almost   
like magic, and as he shifted it, a black rift opened before its tip. The   
revelation struck her like a thunderbolt from a clear blue sky.  
  
The Dimensional Rift Creator!  
  
It *was* him!  
  
He did not seem to have noticed her tense state as he deposited the   
photos and the vase into the alternate dimension. His rod seemed to vanish   
from his hands and the portal closed, as he turned to face her. Yet a   
cursory glance at his somewhat dimmed face told her he had noticed   
everything.  
  
"So, Washu is on Earth too, looking for me." His voice was soft, almost   
inaudible. "I guess that's why you wanted to hear my story. To hear if I'm   
the thief, and if I am the one. Well, now you know." He held out both his   
hands to her, palms facing down. "Care to take me in now?"  
  
Struck speechless, Kiyone didn't know what to do, what to think.  
  
Rope him in, 2 nd Class Chief Inspector Kiyone!  
  
But, he's Kova-chan…  
  
Take him in. Get a promotion. Besides, Washu would be very grateful, and   
that's a good first.  
  
His gaze was steady and unwavering, watching and waiting.  
  
"No, Kova-chan." She stepped away from him, her expression sorrowful as   
she looked at him. "You are more to me than my duties ever could be. I   
thought you'd think better of me."  
  
"I did." Slowly, he lowered his hands back by his side, and a thin smile   
formed on his face, though it was strained and tense. "And you, Kiyone-  
chan, are more to me than my freedom or my life ever could be. So, since   
you aren't going to take me in, what are you going to do about me?"  
  
"I'll tell Washu about you. Maybe I could get you both together and have   
a good talk." Kiyone tried to salvage the situation. "We'd probably let   
you go, you know, with some concessions."  
  
"Honest to truth, I'm not worried about the few of you, Kiyone-chan." He   
turned and looked out over the river. "Tenchi, if he truly took Kagato   
down, plus Ryoko and Princess Aeka are more than enough to capture me. But   
I'm not worried about them." His eyes seemed to focus and pierce the   
distant city. "Somewhere, in some guise, Syndicate agents are here. And   
they are near. If you any of you restrain me in any way, they'll probably   
just abduct me there and then. Once they learn all they need to know from   
me, I'd be terminated."  
  
"How do you know? The earth is so out of the way, how can you be so   
certain?"  
  
"If Washu is here, they are here." He turned back to her, his expression   
grim. "I know how they work. They've probably been keeping an eye on her   
since she left the Academy. If they get me, I don't think I'd ever see you   
again." His smile was thin and brittle, almost bitter. "I once feared   
death at their hands, but now all I want is always to be with you. But if   
I remain by your side and go back to Washu, we'd both be playing right   
into their hands."  
  
"I'll think of something. Trust me." Kiyone tried to calm down. "Let's   
forget about that, okay? We still have each other here, now."  
  
"I'd love to." Kova walked over to the door and rapped three times on it.   
It opened and someone passed a camera stand in, a rather primitive one by   
galactic standards, but nevertheless functioning. Kova tipped the person   
off and closed the door, setting up the stand. "Care to take a picture   
with me?"  
  
Kiyone fought off the urge to gawk. Kova could bounce back like anybody's   
business, leaving all the sombre and serious things they had just   
discussed behind like some worn, unimportant rag.  
  
His emotional control is fantastic!  
  
He's a spy after all. Well, I just have to get used to that part of him.  
  
"Yeah, sure!" She quickly got up as the ex-spy took a galactic standard   
camera out of a dimensional rift and placed it on the stand. "Then we   
could place it between those two pictures of us."  
  
"Where the take?" He smiled from behind the camera, and Kiyone fought   
down an disgusting, inane feeling that he was Nobuyuki.  
  
The choice was obvious.  
  
"Before the window, with the scenery behind us."  
  
Kova adjusted the camera, putting her into focus, standing demurely   
before the window, her earlier cares and qualms receding into the   
background.  
  
He has very soothing presence in dealing with serious things, doesn't he?   
She thought to herself.  
  
"Open the window, Kiyone-chan! The glass is reflecting the shot." She   
opened the window, and smiled as the cool night breeze blew around her,   
sending her hair dancing about in verdant billows around her as she turned   
back . "Excellent pose! Hold it right there…"  
  
"Wait a minute? Where will you stand?" Kiyone noted she was taking the   
centre stage.  
  
"Don't worry. You'll know in time. Give me about ten more seconds or so…"   
he fiddled with the camera, secured a piece of rope a few metres long to   
it, and then he came out from behind it, holding one end of the rope in   
one hand.  
  
"What's that for? And where will you be?"  
  
For an answer he grinned at her, before he agilely slid between her and   
the side of the window. Then his feet were perched on the window sill, as   
he half squatted just behind her, with his head directly above hers, and   
his hands were draped on her shoulders.  
  
Kiyone could feel his jacket billow out as his dark blue curls, blown by   
the wind, reached out over her head, and she could feel his body near   
hers. Lifting her wrists up before her shoulders, she took his hands, and   
they watched the camera, waiting.  
  
"You look beautiful, Kiyone-chan." She heard him murmur, like a man lost   
in paradise. "Like you were in your sleep, only now you are glad…"  
  
"I'm sorry I can't see your face."  
  
"That's all right. Watch the camera."  
  
There was a whirr, then a click.  
  
"Hold on, there's another two shots coming up," there was a mischievous   
edge to Kova's voice, and something clicked in Kiyone's mind as she   
thought about where they both were.  
  
"Kova-chan!"  
  
But she was too late, for quick as a flash, his hands had let go of hers   
and reached down by her forearms, gripping her tight, then pulling. Kiyone   
gasped as she felt herself being lifted up and backwards, about to   
participate in a back flip, and the camera took another shot.  
  
Then they were out of the room, the cool night air was all about them,   
and it seemed they were suspended in the air, for one splendid moment.  
  
His blue eyes met her green ones, as he turned her around to face him,   
his hands still clasping her tight to him. His expression was of beauteous   
happiness and radiant serenity, while hers was of delighted surprise and   
blissful joy. Behind them, the city, the sky, the river, served as a   
gorgeous backdrop in that moment of rapture.  
  
It's like we're flying, living our paradise…  
  
Oh, that this moment could last forever.  
  
The camera, still standing in the room, clicked again.  
  
Then the air rushed by them as they tumbled downwards, and she felt his   
arm jerk a little, while the world behind him changed rapidly from sky to   
river to city, all glittering with brightness, seeming to cheer them on in   
their journey together.  
  
"Who first?" he asked, his dark blue hair seeming to reach out to her as   
it flew wildly about.  
  
"Together," she put her arms around him and drew him near her as they   
fell.  
  
There was a loud splash as they broke through dark, shining surface of   
the water as one, their eyes watching each other, as emerald and sapphire   
descended into the deeps, still locked in an embrace.  
  
And now, without any shadow of doubt, they knew.  
  
You're the only one there ever will be in my heart.  
  
Their embrace broke as they swam for the surface, but their hands were   
still held linked.  
  
"What about the camera?" Kiyone asked as they broke the surface, her   
green hair clinging to her head and her dress.  
  
"It's here." Kova trod water, his other hand pulling the rope in, and   
then the camera was in his grip. "Care for one last take?" He grinned,   
holding it up.  
  
"No, I'm not presentable!" she retorted, laughing.  
  
"Look up and smile!" He tossed the camera up in the air and they both   
looked up at it, drenched but smiling. There was a whirr, and a click,   
then Kova reached his arm up to grasp it, but Kiyone leaped higher and   
snatched it out of mid air. "Hey, Kiyone-chan, that's mine!" He tugged   
vainly at the rope.  
  
"Well, you've decided so many shots, it's my turn to make the decisions."   
Her fingers quickly adjusted the settings, then she tossed it away   
diagonally away from them, careful to make sure it was facing them, even   
as Kova, catching her drift, swam close, his face coming close to hers.  
  
Click.  
  
And they kissed.  
  
Click again, then splosh.  
  
"You know, you really are into this business, aren't you?" He said,   
looking half amazed at her, as his hand drew the camera back in.  
  
"Well, you can say I just can't get enough of you," she pecked him   
lightly on the cheek. "And I want everyone to see how much we love each   
other when the photos come out."  
  
"That's very sweet of you, Kiyone-chan." He said as they swam for the   
side, still holding hands.  
  
"You know, there was a time when I thought nobody would ever say that to   
me, and I figured it was because I didn't even have a mite of feeling in   
me."  
  
"You were never more wrong."  
  
They clambered out of the water on a thin ledge by the river, and as one,   
leaped up over the edge of the railing.  
  
"Oh, look at me, I'm totally unpresentable," Kiyone complained, as she   
wrung out the folds of her blouse in the light of a dim, orange street   
lamp.  
  
"I disagree. After all, I *am* looking, and I seriously think white looks   
good on you." He grinned, stepping closer. "And now that you're wet, very   
good, in fact."  
  
"Kova-chan, you pig!" She quickly turned her back on him, her face   
burning red with embarrassment.  
  
"Anyway, Kiyone-chan, I believe you wanted to hear my story?"  
  
"True, but where will we be going now?"  
  
"How about my place?"  
  
Kiyone's eyes narrowed as she thought about the implications.  
  
No, he couldn't possibly mean that. If he had, the two of us would still   
be…  
  
Kiyone quickly consigned the thought to oblivion. "As always, lead the   
way. And don't look at me anymore, especially *not* that way."  
  
"Sure," He walked away, taking care not to look back, while she followed   
behind, listening. "Anyway, after the GP returned me to HQ, I just knew I   
was about to be sentenced to death. I quickly altered my face so I was a   
GP officer, and they believed me when I said I had been overwhelmed by the   
prisoner and left in his cell. Thus I got away, and in my guise as a GP   
officer, I accessed my own file. Imagine my horror when I found I had been   
found responsible for over sixty raids and attacks, and suspected of over   
a hundred more, out of which over fifty had been made on passenger   
carriers. My gut instincts were right, there was no way I would escape the   
death penalty. I stayed composed within the lions' den, even as searches   
went on for Kova Kashiro. The Section Chief asked to see me, as the   
officer who had succumbed to the prisoner. And guess who was with him -   
Seida Sakanoi."  
  
"What did you do to the original GP Officer? He would have responded to   
the Section Chief's call if he had been anywhere around."  
  
"Oh, I had overcome him when he came to my cell." Kova grinned. "All I   
did was knock him out and tuck him under my cell bed. I'll bet the GP   
Personnel never thought of searching there, at least not till I was home   
and dry!"  
  
"I would," Kiyone commented dryly. "I figured that's how you like to   
work."  
  
"Well, you're different. You're not the same as those dunderheads. The   
Section Chief, clueless like the rest of them, started scolding me,   
telling me how vicious a criminal I had let escape. Of course I kept   
silent, but later when I left I crept into the ventilator system and   
overheard their conversation. Apparently Seida Sakanoi wished vengeance on   
me because I had stolen his plans, discrediting him before his masters,   
and in my second attack on an SSS convoy I had destroyed a ship with his   
son on it. I then realised he must have been the one who set up my   
criminal record, and that he would never rest until he saw me dead." Kova   
shook his head sadly. "I never meant to kill his son, and it must have   
hurt him greatly, but there was nothing I could do. What I was angry about   
was the cargo of the SSS convoy ships which I had attacked. They contained   
waters with poisonous chemicals within them, and they were going to give   
it to certain planets so they would have to buy their lives by submitting   
to the SSS, no doubt after countless millions have died. And even though I   
understood his anger, I could not forgive him for setting me up for so   
many crimes."  
  
Kiyone sighed. "Actually, if you've committed more than ten ship raids,   
you're already facing execution as stated under Galactic Standard Law   
Article 3698, Section 21, with almost negligible chance of reprieve."  
  
He turned back to her, displeasure clear in his eyes. "I don't give a   
damn about you officers and your Galactic Standard Bullshit."  
  
"Well, I do." Kiyone stood her ground, anger rising in her. "Do you   
realise that every new crime you commit is standing between the two of   
us!? I may be in love with you, but I am still a Galaxy Police Officer! Do   
you know what kind of position you're putting me in!?"  
  
His eyes softened. "I'm sorry, Kiyone-chan. I didn't mean it quite the   
way it came out. It's just that it was so trying then back at the GP HQ.   
They kept on drilling that crap into me, like it meant a difference." He   
sighed. "I just didn't expect that sort of thing from you, and I let my   
annoyance out too hastily. I'm sorry if I hurt you."  
  
Kiyone felt herself deflate. "I was just trying to tell you it wouldn't   
have made a difference whether or not he set you up. After all, you killed   
his son." They continued walking.  
  
"Oh no, it does make a difference. I live for that day of reprieve,   
Kiyone-chan, now that I've met you. And every false murder attached to me   
means our future is that much more unlikely to happen. It is already   
almost negligible, by your own admission." His voice trembled as his mind   
absorbed his own words. "I will *not* let its chance get astronomically   
minute. And one more thing. I am certain that he is the only one in the   
Syndicate Spy Network who is seriously concerned about getting rid of me.   
As long as he lives, I can expect to find Syndicate agents or hired   
assassins at my door the moment I settle down. And that will mean I can   
never do so…" He forced himself to leave out the words 'with you.'   
"…because I will never put anyone I care for into that kind of peril, not   
if I can help it."  
  
"Thank you. But I think I can take care of myself."  
  
"I believe that, but that doesn't mean I'd like to see its veracity being   
tested. Do you want to hear the rest of my story?"  
  
"I don't think I'll mind, but I'll keep my bullshit to myself now." She   
smiled.  
  
"How kind of you." He bowed, almost too solemnly. "Well, I eventually   
made my way out of the GP HQ, hijacked a GP Patrol ship and made off. My   
false voice led them to believe I actually was that GP Officer, so they   
really didn't learn about it until it was too late, probably when they   
were preparing the cell for its next occupant. Eventually I managed to   
contact some of my old contacts, and they got me a new ship, although I   
nearly got shot down by them. They thought I was really a GP Officer."  
  
"My career as a space pirate ended forty years ago, when I learnt news   
from a source that an SSS convoy was about to leave, carrying secret   
weapons and data stolen from the Science Academy to the Syndicate under   
the guise of a merchant freighter. I went there and walked right into a   
trap. Fortunately for me, I had anticipated it might just be that, so I   
managed to beam myself down and by using several alternating weights, had   
the ship fire spasmodically while in auto pilot as I escaped on board a   
capsule, with a few million dollars worth of Juraian and Syndicate cash on   
me, complete with disguise. After they wrecked my ship, I remained in   
hiding for a few weeks in the Academy, then registered myself as a student   
there. A few weeks after that, I bribed an administrator to push back the   
date when I was enrolled."  
  
"How did you find the Academy?"  
  
"It was great, and I really liked it there. I learnt a *lot*, but it was   
really very dry, at least until I realised there were some agents both   
from Jurai and the SSS within the Academy. It started out by placing   
surveillance on and stealing from them, but in the end I wound up getting   
a lot of data from all around the Academy. I remember I spent one whole   
week trying to figure out this thesis I had stolen, only to find it was an   
algorithm on how a mind's brainwave pattern leads its owner to develop a   
philosophical interest, which was of no practical use at all. I eventually   
learned of many interesting things, like…"  
  
"…the Tachyon Ray, the Dimensional Rift Creator, the Stealth and the EMP   
technology." Kiyone reminded him pointedly.  
  
"Well, those are only those I found applicable to a new spacecraft. I   
created the Shuriken when I was bored, and by applying my own knowledge, I   
miniaturised these technology based on what I knew of them."  
  
"That's odd, Washu told me the Miniaturisation technology was also stolen   
from the Academy."  
  
"In a way, since I was educated there, but my designs were different from   
what had been so far. Your old Dimensional Rift Creator is that door   
standing in your apartment, and I believe you have met mine." He flashed   
the silver rod over his shoulder at her. "I designed this myself, for   
utility, while the Tachyon Ray I managed to miniaturise until it could fit   
into a ship. The EMP weapons I created so I would not have to destroy   
ships and take lives if I wanted to steal cargo. I had also wanted to make   
a Tachyon Blaster, but I decided there was no point carrying such an   
awesome weapon around."  
  
"Washu has one, solely to counter your Ray in case you fire it. So, that   
silver rod is your weapon, huh?" Kiyone queried. "It looks pretty weak."  
  
"Yes, it is my weapon, but I think you'll quickly find it is not at all   
weak." Kova turned to face her, his right hand holding the rod. Kiyone   
stepped back as it turned blue with laser energy, almost like a shorter   
version of Tenchi's blade. "What it is, you will learn if I have to use   
it. But now that I've met you, I hope I never have to." The blue receded   
back to silver.  
  
"What happened to your blaster, then? I'd really like to see it." Kova   
smiled at her question, and his silver rod swept out a rift. Placing his   
hand in, he took out a worn, greyish blaster slightly bigger and with a   
longer barrel than Kiyone's blaster. She caught it as he tossed it to her,   
testing its weight with her hand. "So, this is the companion that has kept   
you alive for so long." She ran her hand along its surface, where it   
colour had worn off, where she could make out a few flecks of blue and red   
on it. "It's silenced. Ideal for covert killing." Kova nodded at her   
evaluation as she tucked it into her shoe, walked around a little, then in   
one swift, smooth fluid motion, bent down, pulled it out and levelled it   
at him. "It also is awesomely light and easy to handle." She flicked the   
Blaster about her hand. "I like it," she turned it over and extended its   
handle back to him.  
  
"I'm glad you do," Kova brought the silver rod up before him. "Keep it,   
then."  
  
Kiyone blinked. "Kova-chan?"  
  
"Consider it a gift," Kova said. "Although after I made my new weapon, I   
never needed to use it again, I never could bring myself to discard it.   
It's been my companion for too long." His eyes glinted. "I'd trust my life   
with that weapon, and now I'd love for you to have it, Kiyone-chan." Then   
dimmed. "If we'd ever have to be apart, it will remind you of me, and when   
you're in danger, it will save you even if I'm not by your side." His   
smile became tender, but sad. "Please take it."  
  
Kiyone thought for a while, then the blaster vanished into her pocket.   
"Thank you."  
  
Kova acknowledged her thanks with a slight bow, then turned away. "My   
apartment is just around the corner. I'll tell you about Yagami and   
getting money here on earth there." He grinned. "I suspect, from the state   
of your phone and apartment, that you'll have quite something to learn   
from me about the second item."  
  
I wonder if he steals them, Kiyone thought.  
  
No. He will try to change. For us.  
  
Kova led her up the steps, to his apartment on the second floor of the   
squat building. Outside the door, there hung a sign - Dr Kashiro, Medical   
Clinic. "Does that answer one of your questions, Kiyone-chan?" He sounded   
amused as he opened the door and stepped in.  
  
"It certainly does. Where did you learn how to be a doctor?"  
  
"The Academy. Just the basic courses in Biology, Chemistry, and Medicine   
qualifies one to be a doctor almost anywhere." He settled into his seat   
behind his desk, and stretched a little. "Satisfied?"  
  
"Not in the least." Kiyone told him, her eyes searching around for a   
clue, as she closed the door behind him. "How did you make so much money   
in two days? It's not like they know how good you are."  
  
Kova winked at her for a reply.  
  
Kiyone, suspecting something, walked over beside him, behind the desk, as   
Kova grinned irascibly at her. "You're hiding something, aren't you?" He   
shook his head vigorously. Kiyone turned as if to go, then spun around and   
shoved him off the chair.  
  
"Kiyone-chan?" He asked, his back on the floor. She ignored him and   
peeked under his desk. Sure enough, a small terminal was set there, and   
she saw two human shapes standing, one male and female. She glanced at the   
doorway, then peered back at him.  
  
"The door's a scanner, right? Detects anatomical anomalies."  
  
"Kiyone-chan, you are good!" He beamed. "Not bad, huh? You should have   
seen how many people I astounded on my first day. Now that was fun, if a   
little tiring."  
  
"Kova-chan, you're amazing." Kiyone thought about all the trouble she had   
gone through to find part time jobs. "I wonder how I'd be living if I'd   
tried this."  
  
Someone a good distance away chewed on what she heard.  
  
It's Kova Kashiro all right, fits his file. But who would have thought,   
Kiyone…  
  
"Probably in a prison for quacks," Kova replied. "You forgot Mihoshi."  
  
"Oh yeah, right," Kiyone said. "What about Yagami?"  
  
"Well, I was passing by here after I left the Academy, and so I decided   
to check the ship's data to see if the GP had any new data on me, as well   
to see if there was anything of interest."  
  
"You burglar, you! And what did you see that was of interest?"  
  
"This," he held up three plastic photos, a little wet from their dip, but   
she could see they were the three out of the four photos placed in hers   
and Mihoshi's room on board the Yagami. "This was when I first met you,   
Kiyone." He looked at the one he had converted into the larger photo he   
had framed up. "You know, you shot my heart when I saw you like this. And   
I simply had to come to Earth to find you."  
  
"Well…" She didn't know what to say. That she had captured his heart even   
before he met her?  
  
"Although I must admit, I'd prefer you wearing something else to this   
uniform." He looked at her, his eyes speculative. "How about we take a   
replacement photo now? You just hold this pose…"  
  
Kiyone slapped him on the head as he chuckled. "In this!? In your dreams,   
buster!"  
  
Suddenly, they heard the door open, and spun around as one, blue and   
green eyes focusing on the intruder.  
  
"WASHU!?" They said together.  
  
Under a building opposite them, someone's eyes popped open, not believing   
her own ears.  
  
For a reply, Washu extended her hand. "The Tachyon Ray." Her eyes were   
cold and chilled, and Kiyone thought she sounded exactly as she did when   
she was lecturing them on the weapon, rather than a question asking for a   
device.  
  
Kova's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "What are you doing here, Professor?"  
  
Kiyone tugged at his arm. "Kova-chan, we need to talk. Washu, could you   
give me some time, please?"  
  
The redhead solemnly shook her head. "Now."  
  
Kiyone had an uneasy feeling about her. Washu's inflection was all wrong.   
It was like she was saying the 'now' from 'Only now, I can…', it was   
totally weird.  
  
Kova looked at Washu, then Kiyone, his face pale and set. Suddenly, he   
gripped Kiyone's arm and pulled her back from before the door, behind his   
desk and nearer the window.  
  
Washu's brows narrowed and she stepped through the doorway, red eyes   
regarding Kova and Kiyone almost maliciously. The green-haired detective   
regarded the scientist nervously, trying to ignore Kova who was tugging   
very insistently at her hand. "Just a minute, Washu…" Bending before Kova.   
"What is it, Kov…" Her voice died as she saw what he was pointing at.  
  
The terminal's display showed not a body with flesh and bone, but a   
humanoid shape made of completely greyish silver matter.  
  
Washu's eyes narrowed as she saw Kiyone's facial expression change.  
  
"JUMP!" Kova threw Kiyone backwards to the window and stood before Washu,   
forearms raised to shield himself and Kiyone from the scientist.  
  
Kiyone glimpsed Kova's forearms light up with blue laser shield, and a   
scarlet ball of energy form in Washu's hand. She just managed to dive out   
the window, shattering the glass, before her vision was filled with   
blinding, crimson light.  
  
===========================================================  
  
She just managed to yank her ear phones off before the explosion deafened   
her, and stared in shock as the apartment opposite was engulfed in a fiery   
red explosion that practically tore apart the entire three storeys of the   
building.  
  
Kiyone! She thought, her short legs pumping as she made her way towards   
the burning wreckage of Dr Kashiro's apartment, her eyes searching   
anxiously for a sign of the green eyed detective.  
  
They spotted a movement within the smoke, and she quickly hurried over.   
Sure enough, Kiyone lay there, in her soot blasted white blouse, debris   
about her. Her leg was trapped under a large slab of concrete, and her   
eyes were barely open, while her right hand reached out vainly for help,   
as the left was pinned under her body.  
  
"Washu." Kiyone managed, softly. The scientist took her hand amidst the   
smoke and fallen mortar. Kiyone watched as Washu's other hand pointed to   
the concrete slab, that promptly shattered and crumbled into dust before   
her burst of pink energy, freeing Kiyone's leg. The scientist put both her   
arms under Kiyone as she helped her up and supported her weight.  
  
===========================================================  
  
Kova opened his eyes, and sat up painfully.  
  
He had been lying amidst the debris, but his last minute backflip coupled   
with the explosion's impact had served to propel him quite far away from   
where the big slabs had fallen. His forearms were unscathed, but his body   
was lacerated in quite a few other places, while his jacket and pants hung   
around him in tatters.  
  
"Kiyone-chan?" he called softly, both out of weakness and caution.  
  
"I'm here." Kiyone replied softly. She was about twenty metres to his   
right, both blasters in her hands and ready to fire. Her clothes were   
blackened on one side, and her arms and legs were slightly lacerated, but   
not as badly as Kova's. "Are you all right?" The concern in her voice   
showed through even though she kept her eyes peeled for any sign of the   
enemy within the rising smoke.  
  
"I'm fine." Kova jumped lightly to his feet despite his hurts, his silver   
rod held out before him in his suddenly gloved hands. Around his wrists,   
two silver gauntlets showed through the tatters of his jacket sleeves. His   
eyes, more used to seeing in the dark and unclear places, quickly detected   
movement. "There, Kiyone-chan."  
  
Kiyone's eyes followed the direction of his finger. "There's…" she fell   
silent as Washu trudged out of the smoke, her right side facing them, with   
a limp Kiyone resting over her shoulders.  
  
How could this be? Kiyone thought for an instant, before her mind made   
the necessary conclusions. "Washu, watch out!"  
  
The red headed scientist half turned back in surprise, but before she   
could see who had called her, the Kiyone on her back suddenly gripped her   
by the neck with both hands.  
  
"Kiyone?" Washu's eyes opened in astonishment, then several hundred volts   
worth of electrical impulses shot through her nervous system like   
devastating shockwaves from the hands around her neck. "Aaargh!" She   
shrieked in agony.  
  
"Washu!!" Kiyone wailed in vain, as the little scientist writhed   
spasmodically in the pseudo-Kiyone's grip, before falling still.  
  
"Relax, Kiyone." Washu's voice came from opposite side. "I'm fine." The   
red-headed scientist was standing behind the false Kiyone. The being,   
whatever it really was, stared from Kiyone to Washu, then glared at the   
thing it held in its grip.  
  
A life-sized Washu-chan doll stared up at her with its beady glass eyes,   
stuffing emerging from places where the seams had burst. The fake Kiyone   
wrinkled her brow in disgust, and the doll trembled in her grip. Scarlet   
energy crackled from between her fingertips, then the figurine was   
engulfed from within by a crimson explosion and torn apart.  
  
"Wow." Kiyone exclaimed, but nevertheless both her blasters were aiming   
straight at her own impostor, her fingers ready to pull the triggers. Kova   
cast his eyes carefully around, feeling something was amiss, not quite   
right. Kiyone watched as his eyes settled on something behind Washu.   
"Washu, there's someone behind you!"  
  
Washu jumped aside, so she could see both the fake Kiyone and whatever   
was behind her own self. "Who is there?" She called as another person   
stepped into the light. "Ryoko!" She exclaimed as the space pirate's   
yellow eyes gleamed in menace at the red headed scientist. "What are you   
doing here?"  
  
For a reply, Ryoko's scarlet light sword formed in her hand, and she   
bared her fangs.  
  
"She's not Ryoko!" Kiyone shouted. Seizing her moment of distraction, the   
fake Kiyone turned to her real counterpart and unleashed several motes of   
crimson power. Kiyone just managed to leap away before the spot she was   
standing on exploded into countless pieces of debris, while her blasters   
both fired twice. The being flinched as four lines of yellow lasers tore   
through it, ripping four holes in its form, but before Kiyone's astonished   
eyes, the holes mended almost like the surface of a liquid, flowing back   
together until not a trace of the damage inflicted remained.  
  
Then she saw Kova had covered the distance from where he stood to just   
behind the thing, no longer wielding a silver rod, but his forearms were   
sheathed in an azure laser shield, while both his hands gripped an energy   
scythe about two metres long, with a curved blade of about seventy   
centimetres, that shone sky blue like a beacon in the night. His eyes   
blazed with fury and anger, and his dark blue hair seemed to reflect the   
light from the scythe, looking almost sky blue, as he brought his weapon   
down on the being. The fake Kiyone spun around a moment too late, as the   
azure light sliced through its form, splitting it completely apart from   
the right shoulder to the left thigh.  
  
Kova leaped away as the being tumbled to the ground in two separate   
parts, to face the Ryoko that was pressing Washu hard. Scarlet lasers were   
shooting through the darkness from it in an endless barrage upon Washu's   
pink shield, which from its lightening colour, was clearly weakening   
rapidly.  
  
"Strike it, Washu!" Kiyone cried, but Washu shook her head.  
  
"I tried! She just keeps on healing back!"  
  
False Ryoko turned to face Kova, who was already halfway to her. Beams of   
scarlet energy coursed through the air between them as she unleashed her   
might on Kova, but the man merely deflected them with his blue laser   
sheath around his four arms, sending them ricocheting back at his nemesis,   
while his movement was still swift and relentless, his face set and   
expressionless like that of the grim reaper, while his scythe crackled   
with power that hungered for a taste of the enemy's blood.  
  
The scarlet energy sword met with the azure scythe blade, sending off   
motes of greenish sparks. Kova lunged under and did a roll to the right as   
he flung his scythe in a sweeping circle, with his adversary's waist at   
the centre, away from him. The fake Ryoko turned after him, blade at the   
ready, but the scythe finished a revolution in the air, and the sword   
vanished as the being split into two, cut cleanly through the waist, while   
Kova stood up and calmly gripped the scythe's energy handle in his black   
leather gloves.  
  
Something moved, near the spot where he had split the other impostor with   
his blade.  
  
"Kiyone, watch out!" He cried out. Kiyone, seeing his wide-opened eyes,   
unhesitatingly hurled herself away from her position towards the side as   
an explosion ripped through the air, but it was already a little too late.   
The heat seared into her back as some of its impact tore into her, and she   
was flung away like a rag doll.  
  
"Kiyone-chan!" Kova screamed in anger and fear, his hands clenching tight   
on his scythe. Kiyone's attacker turned to him, no longer in the guise of   
the detective, but in its true shape - a silver, gleaming metallic   
humanoid form, smooth and faceless, like a person made of liquid metal.  
  
"A Teranium cyborg…" Washu gasped. Kova did not hear her, as he turned to   
flee from the scarlet ball that came streaking out from the thing. Washu   
rapidly encapsulated herself in her energy barrier as the spy leaped up,   
hurling the scythe in a spinning trajectory perpendicular to direction of   
the cyborg before bringing up his arms so that his laser shielded forearms   
faced the point of the explosion's centre. The scarlet ball exploded with   
crimson light, and Washu felt her shield weaken, even as Kova was hurled   
towards the enemy.  
  
The cyborg prepared to fire as the spy, who had sustained little hurt due   
to his defence, landed near it, and did not notice the scythe that came   
hurtling towards it from another direction. Kova did not even bother to   
look at it as his scythe struck it and the android vanished in a light   
blue detonation, for his eyes were searching anxiously for Kiyone among   
the rubble as the large metal droplets rained down on him.  
  
Washu stared at the other cyborg before her, which had split up into many   
pieces splattered over the debris due to the explosion's radius, but was   
rapidly forming up again. "Where is Ryoko when you need her?" Gritting her   
teeth in irritation, the scientist extended her hands to blast the pieces   
continually to keep them from flowing together.  
  
"Kova-chan?" Kiyone dimly saw the humanoid shape running towards her, and   
the sky blue arc that vanished as it struck the shape. Her vision cleared   
as Kova quickly knelt by her, his silver rod clutched in one hand, his   
other hand cradling her face.  
  
"Are you hurt?" He took in her somewhat ragged clothing, the countless   
lacerations and cuts as well as the burns sustained in the explosion.  
  
"I'll manage." She focused behind Kova's shoulders, and saw Washu   
viciously shooting something. "What are those things?"  
  
"Some kind of cyborgs that can join up after being blown to bits. We need   
to get out of here before they form back. Can you stand?"  
  
Kiyone got a little unsteadily to her feet, feeling the pain in her body   
as the world move in and out of focus. Kova steadied her with his hand as   
she closed her eyes, fingers gripping hard on her two blasters, steeling   
her will to overcome the distress of the flesh. "Ready to move out," she   
responded as her eyes snapped open, clear and focused.  
  
"Get to Washu." He watched as she ran towards the preoccupied scientist,   
then followed after. His rod flashed back into the scythe for an instant   
as he passed where the detonated cyborg was molding itself back, his arms   
vanishing into a blur as he split it into sixteen parts, before   
continuing.  
  
"Help me keep it back!" Washu said, hands flashing with energy surges, as   
she heard Kiyone's running steps. In response, yellow blaster shots ripped   
through the air past her and into the writhing body of liquid metal.  
  
"Behind, Washu!" Kiyone told her as she stopped by the scientist's side,   
still shooting continuously. Washu snatched a quick glance back and saw   
Kova standing behind them before a black dimensional rift, blue eyes   
watching the other cyborg anxiously. Washu absorbed her supposed enemy's   
appearance and paused, uncertain.  
  
I don't know where this portal leads me to.  
  
It could lead anywhere, and that would be the end of his troubles with   
me.  
  
Kova flashed her an angry look, his blue eyes stern, his voice cold. "Get   
in, professor."  
  
Washu hesitated a moment more, then stepped in. Kiyone backed into the   
portal, still firing, then Kova dived through and the rift closed.  
  
Barely two seconds later, both cyborgs were fully formed.  
  
"We've lost them." One soulless metallic voice spoke.  
  
"Then let's work on plan B."  
  
=== End of Chapter ===  
  
NEXT CHAPTER : No Need for a Heavenly Night  
  
NOTES:  
Kova is in a way, an SIed character. Pls include him in your  
comments, whether I have portrayed him as a person, as a friend  
or foe, as one of the gang, and most importantly, as a human being.  
  
I have never in my whole life read a love story or romance novel  
before. I would be very grateful if my readers could give me some  
feedback on this, as it is the first time I've ever tried to set  
such things down in writing.  
  
I hope you have enjoyed this Fanfic as much as I have typing it.  
If there are any more grammar errors, I beg your forgiveness, as  
my sole proofreader is myself.  
  
This is my first FF, so go ahead and mail me at zyraen@yahoo.com  
with comments, especially on character portrayal, realism.  



	9. No Need for Trump Card

Disclaimer :  
Most characters in this story are property of AIC and Pioneer.  
They are in such a situation solely because of my imagination.  
This story was written purely for fun.  
  
This FF is based on the TV Series, with some powers drawn over  
from the OAV, but with no Light Hawk Wings.  
  
This story contains no sex, so please do not expect it.  
  
Before I wrote this Fanfic, I have only read 2 Fanfics, Aikan  
Muyo and To Love & To Hate. Since then I have read some others,  
and have noted some writers have a tendency to portray some  
characters inaccurately. I hope I have not fallen into that trap.  
  
That's about it, I'm a simple soul at heart...  
  
  
DARKNESS & LIGHT - No Need For Kova  
  
By Zyraen  
  
Chapter VIII : No Need for a Trump Card  
  
Washu mentally heaved a sigh of relief as they emerged into Kiyone's   
apartment. "Kiyone, what's the meaning of this? Do you know he's a   
criminal?" She demanded.  
  
Kova's eyes narrowed as he saw Kiyone flinch, her head bowing. "You are   
in no position to demand anything, professor. Our affairs are none of your   
concern."  
  
"Well, I think…"  
  
"…you should tend to her injuries, in your lab." His voice was icy as he   
stepped over to the wall and rapped sharply on it, conjuring the   
dimensional door. "As for what's between you and me, we'll settle it some   
other time. What we need now is a way to destroy those things. Do you have   
the materials to deal with them in your lab?"  
  
Washu's eyes narrowed. "I don't trust you going into *my* lab."  
  
"She will be entering, not me." Turning to Kiyone. "Quickly, get your   
hurts tended to, before those cyborgs get back." Looking back at Washu.   
"Teranium?"  
  
"Mmmhmm."  
  
"That will mean getting Morendium to keep them apart, mixed with…"  
  
"Trying to teach your grandmother how to suck eggs, huh?" Washu pointed   
out caustically.  
  
Kova scowled. "Just get on with it."  
  
Washu glared at him and led the somewhat embarrassed Kiyone through the   
door.  
  
===========================================================  
  
"Tenchi Masaki!" He tossed a little in his sleep, wondering what he was   
dreaming of now. He had had a horribly hard time trying to persuade Ryoko   
not to hug him as he lay in his bed, although they were all alone, and   
eventually Aeka got attracted by the commotion, which required even more   
mopping up on his part to prevent a fight. After that he had thought he   
could get some peace and quiet, but now it seemed otherwise. "Tenchi! Mr   
Masaki!" The voice became louder and more urgent, and he thought he could   
feel someone shaking his shoulders.  
  
"Wha.." he asked, yawning. "What is it?" His vision cleared and he saw   
who was by his bedside. "You!" He exclaimed, surprise driving him wide   
awake in an instant. "What are you doing here!?" Even in the dark, he   
could make out the battered state of the person before him. "What the…?"  
  
"We're in danger." Kova spoke tersely, as though giving commands under   
extreme duress. "Get the rest of them up. Keep together and don't let any   
of them out of your sight." He paused again. "If you see anyone, get him   
or her to make up a sentence on the spot. If they sound unlike their usual   
selves, prepare to attack or be attacked."  
  
Tenchi stared at him, eyes still wide open.  
  
This simply has to be a dream.  
  
"What are you doing!?" Kova growled at him. "They might be here any   
minute! Get moving and get your people together!" He glanced at Tenchi,   
noting the absence of any weapon on him. "I don't know how you beat   
Kagato, but whatever you used, you'd better get that weapon out now."  
  
"Wha…?"  
  
The spy's eye narrowed as he saw Tenchi still a little shell shocked.   
Mentally cursing the fool for his slow reaction, he clasped his rod, and   
Tenchi's eyes opened with fear as a shining blue laser scythe appeared in   
the hands of the grim faced stranger before him, gleaming coldly in the   
darkness. A cold sneer on his face, the ex-pirate swung and Tenchi   
reflexively ducked away under the scythe's deadly sweep and rolled off his   
bed.  
  
Where did I put that sword? He asked himself frantically.  
  
Kova stepped before him around the bed, and swung again. Tenchi threw   
himself backwards, and the scythe's edge just missed his nose by a hair's   
breadth. Almost instinctively, his right hand opened a drawer and his   
fingers closed around something inside. Grinning evilly at having cornered   
Tenchi, Kova sent the scythe arcing in again from the left, so Tenchi   
would be trapped between the scythe and the wall.  
  
Another beam of blue illuminated the darkness between the sweep of the   
scythe and Tenchi's body, as the boy steeled himself for the strike and   
the combat that was to come, but the scythe did not strike his sword. Kova   
grinned, with his scythe stopping barely a centimetre from Tenchi's   
sword's edge.  
  
"Well, you have found your weapon, descendant of Jurai." The energy   
scythe disappeared, leaving only the silver rod in his hand. "Find the   
rest, especially Aeka and Sasami. Kiyone and Washu are in the lab, so   
forget them. And if you lose that sword of yours, I'll be back for you."   
Tenchi managed to make out a cold and emotionlessly set face before the   
stranger vanished out the door of him room. He shivered, despite the light   
from his sword.  
  
That felt like a visit from death.  
  
===========================================================  
  
"Is the formula ready?" the door opened slightly. Washu glanced back to   
make sure he wasn't in the lab. Kiyone, who was beside her, frowned.  
  
"Washu, if Kova says he isn't going to come in, he isn't going to."  
  
Washu looked up at the detective. She was looking much better, thanks to   
Washu. "And what do you know about him, Kiyone? In case you forgot, he was   
a spy." She gave Kiyone a strange look. "Is it possible that the Kiyone I   
know can be ruled by her heart rather than mind?"  
  
Kiyone turned away, feeling a little slighted. Washu peered at the time   
scale on her computer. "Give me three more minutes, Kashiro."  
  
"Very well, professor. Are you feeling better, Kiyone-chan?"  
  
"Thank you, Kova-chan. I'm feeling much better now." Kiyone sounded very   
pleased, and Washu shook her head in disgust as she heard them calling   
each other that way. The door closed and she returned to tending to   
Kiyone.  
  
"You know, you're just preparing yourself for a lot of heartache,   
Kiyone." She mentioned offhandedly as she rubbed some powder onto Kiyone's   
burnt back.  
  
Kiyone sighed. "I know it will hurt me, Washu. But sometimes you just   
have to go through fire and blood to get what you really want."  
  
"You don't really want a spy cum space pirate, do you?" Washu's eyes were   
cold and her expression skeptical. "You're a Galaxy Police Officer. The   
two of you just don't belong together."  
  
The green eyes filled with pain, and doubt. "Washu, I believe that some   
how, we can make it together. Leave it to me, okay? I'll manage." She   
smiled a little. "We'll manage."  
  
"Well, I don't trust him."  
  
"Not even after he saved you?" Kiyone shook her head. "Washu, you're too   
fixated on Science."  
  
"And you, Kiyone, are too fixated on him." Washu casually pressed several   
buttons, and Kiyone blinked as she saw a file appear before her. The   
picture was of Kova, all right, but a very young Kova, who looked like he   
was only about Tenchi's age. Two scars marred his face, one across his   
forehead, another down his left cheek, while his blue eyes seemed cold and   
calculating. Washu tapped another key, and the strings of incomprehensible   
sigils changed into rational words, and read as follows.  
  
Name :Kova Kashiro  
  
Sex : Male  
  
Age (as of now) :near 120 yrs old  
  
Weapon : Blaster  
  
Classification : Class A Space Pirate  
  
Wanted for : Treason against the Holy Juraian Empire / Forgery   
against the Synera Stellar Syndicate / 67 ship raids, suspected of 102   
more / 3 cases of attacking armed convoys, all 3 from SSS  
  
Background :Citizen of Jurai, master burglar. Suspected often, but   
never convicted. At about 19 years of age, activities curbed upon   
appointment as Secretary of Interior Security on Jurai, but may have spied   
for the SSS during this period. At about 24 years of age, he forged and   
cashed an SSS cheque worth millions and fled on a career of piracy.  
  
Last sighted :40 yrs ago, in the vicinity of the Science Academy.   
Attempted to attack an SSS convoy. Attacked and pursued by 9 SSS ships and   
3 GP ships. Ship destroyed, no body found.  
  
"So, how do you like what you see?" Washu, half smirking, turned, and was   
utterly flabbergasted to see Kiyone smiling serenely to herself.  
  
He didn't lie to me.  
  
"Hey, Kiyone, what's wrong with you?" Washu wrinkled her brow, irritated.  
  
"Oh nothing." Kiyone smiled knowingly. "Nothing at all."  
  
===========================================================  
  
"Is everyone here?" Tenchi asked, casting his eye around. Mihoshi, Ryoko,   
Aeka, Sasami, with Ryo-oh-ki on her head, stared back at him, half in   
curiosity, half in fear, at the shining sword in his hand.  
  
"Say, what is going on, Tenchi?" Ryoko asked. "Is this some kind of   
game?"  
  
"No, Ryoko." Tenchi looked at five pairs of eyes staring curiously at   
him, and gulped. "Not at one o'clock in the morning. Someone told me to   
make sure you all were safe." His brown eyes dilated at the thought. "And   
he nearly killed me." His hand gripped Tenchi-ken harder.  
  
"Who is he?" Aeka asked, running one hand over Anako's soft fur. The   
kitten purred as she stroked its tummy.  
  
"I have no idea. All I know is, he was the one Sasami and I saw at   
Kiyone's side last night."  
  
Sasami's eyes widened. "What was he doing here?"  
  
"No idea. Mihoshi, would you know anything about anyone Kiyone knows?"  
  
"Erm, well, there was this rather tall chap with whom she was…" Mihoshi's   
face reddened.  
  
"Who was he?" Ryoko pressed, sounding annoyed.  
  
"Huh? Oh, I didn't see his face." Mihoshi looked around. "Tenchi, where   
is Kiyone?"  
  
"The someone who got us up told me she's in the lab with Washu."  
  
"Oh." Mihoshi turned and made for the door. Tenchi, his expression   
worried, quickly lunged forward and grabbed her wrist, taking care not to   
cut anyone with his sword.  
  
"You're not going out." He told her. It was a statement, a command. "He's   
out there. And he's got a really *big* scythe." His voice trembled at the   
memory.  
  
"Don't worry, Tenchi!" Mihoshi laughed. "If he's Kiyone's friend, he'll   
be nice to me." She shook her hand, but Tenchi's grip remained firm. "Let   
go of me, Tenchi!"  
  
"No, Mihoshi."  
  
Say, this was strange, he thought. Why the hell am I taking the word of a   
stranger so seriously?  
  
His appearance. The way he wore his wounds like they were nothing, and   
the way his cold and impassive face looked dead serious at him.  
  
Tenchi, still holding on to Mihoshi, stared at his sword.  
  
Why did he force me to draw it?  
  
"Tenchi…" Sasami tugged at his elbow.  
  
He recalled how they had all sat up and stared the moment they saw him   
and his gleaming blade. Without it, there was no way he could have got   
them all up and alert so quickly.  
  
"Tenchi…"  
  
"Yes, Sasami?" He let go of Mihoshi, who had given up struggling in   
favour of enjoying the feel of his hand holding her wrist.  
  
"Where's your father?"  
  
===========================================================  
  
"What the…?" Kova stared as he saw Tenchi all by himself, trying to get   
Nobuyuki off the couch in the living room, with *no* sword in his hand.   
"Tenchi?"  
  
The boy turned to look at him blankly, not speaking. Kova tensed, then   
Tenchi suddenly picked Nobuyuki off the couch without any effort, hefted   
him on his shoulder and made for the door.  
  
That man must be Tenchi's father!  
  
The scythe flashed into existence and arced through the darkness, only to   
strike against a scarlet laser sword.  
  
"Huh?" Nobuyuki awoke, his world a blur from not having his specs. "Hey,   
what's going on?"  
  
Kova leaped back as Ryoko appeared out of thin air at Tenchi's side.  
  
"Tenchi?" He heard her say, confused, yellow eyes going to the scarlet   
blade.  
  
"Get him, Ryoko!" Kova cried. "We must get that man back!"  
  
Ryoko paused in indecision. "Who are you?" She asked Kova.  
  
The main door to the outside slid open behind them, with Aeka framed in   
the doorway. Tenchi quickly parried another stroke from Kova, and Ryoko's   
eyes widened as he effortlessly threw Nobuyuki to Aeka, who caught him in   
her arms and turned to go.  
  
"Wow, I'm being carried by the princess of Jurai!" Nobuyuki sighed in   
bliss, staring at the purple cloth before him. "This must be a dream!"  
  
"Stop it, Ryoko!" Kova lunged back, his scythe swinging in an arc, as   
Tenchi, his face grim and set in determination, planted himself between   
Kova and the Aeka behind him. "I mean her, Aeka!" The blue arc suddenly   
twisted and its path shifted slightly inwards, and swifter than thought,   
Kova's blade scraped the edge of the crimson sword, bypassing the parry.  
  
"NOO!" Ryoko screamed as the azure scythe sliced neatly into Tenchi's   
right shoulder blade and out under his left arm. As though in a nightmare,   
she saw Tenchi topple back, his body splitting bloodlessly into two.  
  
Her heart stopped, and died.  
  
Still stunned from shock, she stared as Kova leaped past the body and   
towards the closed door. "COME BACK HERE!!!" She screamed, tears flowing   
out of her eyes, as orange sparks gathered in the air around her.  
  
Kova just managed to turn around.  
  
Aeka stopped to watch, a thin smile on the face, as the spy smashed   
through the door, hands gripping his weapon tightly, his blue shield laser   
shield on his forearms protecting him from the immense orange plasma beam   
that hurled him out past Aeka and Nobuyuki.  
  
"Ryoko!?" The space pirate heard Aeka ask from behind her.  
  
"He killed Tenchi." She growled softly, tears blurring her vision, then   
she was speeding out after Kova, a primal force of vengeance.  
  
"Did I hear that right?" Mihoshi asked, staring at Tenchi beside her, who   
shrugged.  
  
"What is that!?" Sasami asked, pointing at the metallic humanoid thing   
that lay between them and the door. Even as they watched, the last bit of   
it joined up seamlessly, like liquid flowing together.  
  
"Destroy that thing!" Kiyone called as she emerged from the lab, her   
instincts telling her what it was they were staring at, as Washu appeared   
behind her.  
  
Before five astonished pair of eyes, the shape got up and was out the   
door.  
  
===========================================================  
  
"Ryoko, STOP!" Kova cried out, in vain. "Please!" His scythe spun like a   
staff in his hands, deflecting yet another volley of orange plasma beams.   
Snarling, Ryoko was deaf to his pleas, her face a sight of savagery intent   
on avenging her supposedly fallen beloved. Kova spun around as the pirate   
appeared behind him, laser sword slashing out in a frenzied barrage, and   
his scythe was a mere blur of light as he defended himself.  
  
Aeka smiled as the silver being sped towards her and transformed into   
Katsuhito.  
  
Kiyone burst out of the house under the night sky, followed by Washu and   
the rest.  
  
"Kova-chan!" Kiyone cried out.  
  
"Ryoko, please!" The spy begged, one forearm fending off a laser sword,   
as his other hand parried another, for Ryoko had split into two. "Save my   
father!" He cried, using Tenchi's voice.  
  
Ryoko stopped, not believing her ears, and her orange blade   
dematerialised as her hand was halfway down. Kova quickly stepped back and   
leaped towards the false Aeka and Katsuhito, spinning around in mid-air to   
attack the cyborg holding Nobuyuki. Aeka tossed a little red ball of   
energy at Kova, and the explosion sent him flying right back, but he   
landed on his feet, scythe upright and ready.  
  
"What's going on?" Mihoshi, Sasami, Tenchi and Aeka all asked at the same   
time. Kiyone did not bother to explain, but charged forward, firing salvos   
at Katsuhito, whose hand was turning red as he prepared to blast Kova.  
  
"We have to get your father back, before they can react and use him as a   
hostage."  
  
"My father? What about grandpa?" Tenchi asked, watching as Kiyone's   
golden blasts struck Katsuhito on the head, shoulder and legs.  
  
"He's not your grandpa." Washu said wryly as the four of them, eyes   
bulging, watched the holes in Katsuhito's body mend back together. Kiyone   
dived to one side and jumped, as the red laser beams trailed her path of   
flight, just skimming over her flesh.  
  
Kova, his face set in a shape of grim determination, hurled his scythe in   
an arc high up into the sky, where it vanished, and ran at the Aeka   
cyborg. Sasami watched open mouthed, as the spy somersaulted over the   
crimson energy balls that flew at him, even as Tenchi, Mihoshi and Aeka   
joined the fray.  
  
Kiyone saw Mihoshi and Aeka coming in to assist her, and her enemy's   
attention was momentarily diverted. Seizing her chance, she tossed her yo-  
yo in a curve towards Katsuhito. Aeka jumped before Mihoshi, letting her   
blue force field absorb the energy blasts, as Kiyone's yo-yo wrapped   
around the robot. The green haired detective jerked hard, as the her left   
hand levelled Kova's blaster at the cyborg, but to her amazement, her   
foe's form just yielded and the parts of it that her yo-yo that were in   
contact with melted away, so that it was as though she had caught nothing   
but air. Frustrated, she unleashed several shots, as the yo-yo spun back   
into her hand, but the enemy just grinned as the yellow blasts tore   
through him with little effect.  
  
The Aeka cyborg, still gripping the by now totally horrified Nobuyuki   
with one hand, watched as Kova landed before her and Tenchi, sword blazing   
away, charged in from the side. Ryoko, having realised her beloved Tenchi   
was still alive, had been galvanised into action and was flying in, orange   
power crackling about her hands, but she dared not fire with Nobuyuki so   
close by. Kova lunged in, using the edge of his laser shield as though his   
forearms were blades, but a scarlet energy whip materialised in the   
things' free hand, lashed at his form, and he was forced to raise an arm   
in defence, as the cyborg side stepped the other lunge. Tenchi's sword   
sliced through the air from the side of the cyborg, but grinning slightly,   
the false Aeka brought Nobuyuki in his way, and his sword halted in mid   
air, just an inch from his father's forehead. Cursing in anger, Tenchi   
parried as the whip lashed out at him, watching as Kova sliced half of the   
fake Aeka's throat with his laser shield, only to see it mend back. The   
purple eyes widened as Ryoko shot in, orange sword in one hand, an   
incandescent wreath of force in her other hand.  
  
I cannot hold, the creature thought.  
  
The Aeka quickly tossed her whip down on the ground as Ryoko drew near.  
  
"Watch out!" Kova cried, forearms up, as the thing exploded into a   
crimson eruption.  
  
Oh no, Tenchi thought as his vision lighted up.  
  
"Tenchi!" Ryoko just managed to seize him and the two vanished away as   
the blast smashed into where they had just occupied.  
  
Kiyone watched, stunned with fear, as Kova sailed through the air. He   
somehow still landed on his feet, his teeth gritting against each other,   
but as he made to move forward, he collapsed to his knees.  
  
The false Aeka landed safely back on the ground, holding her miraculously   
unscathed hostage, smiling in amusement as Kova bowed before her. She   
watched as everyone turned towards at her, ignoring the Katsuhito cyborg.   
Mihoshi and Kiyone aimed their three blasters at her, Washu raised a hand,   
Aeka prepared to charge with her blue forcefield.  
  
"One wrong move, and he dies." One white hand went around Nobuyuki's   
throat and everyone froze before the metallic, soulless voice's   
pronouncement, as the other cyborg relaxed.  
  
Kova, tilting his head slightly up, grinned.  
  
A blue streak descended from the night sky, faster than thought. The   
cyborg's eyes widened in shock as the scythe, falling like a shooting   
star, split the robot down the middle and into two, before streaking   
towards Kova. The hand holding Nobuyuki's throat loosened, and Tenchi and   
the Katsuhito cyborg simultaneously raced to Nobuyuki. The cyborg's hand   
closed around Nobuyuki waist, as Tenchi, shouting in a rage, lashed out.   
Green sparks flashed out as azure struck scarlet, then a rapid succession   
of blasts forced Tenchi to parry the lasers, as the false Katsuhito leaped   
up and made off towards the shrine.  
  
"Get my father back!" Tenchi shouted, and Ryoko and Aeka quickly   
complied. The Katsuhito dodged an orange beam, and Azaka and Kamadake (the   
logs) appeared beside him. The guardians hesitated for a moment, seeing   
Tenchi's grandfather and father was between them, and the cyborg quickly   
struck Kamadake down with slash, and leaped over the fallen log into the   
forest by the side of the stairs leading to the Masaki shrine.  
  
Kova stood up, seeming to have fed off the energy that his scythe   
provided, as the scythe faded back into a silver rod. Watching the spot   
where the enemy made off, he sprinted after the thing.  
  
"I'll go after them, you take care of Tenchi." Ryoko flashed out of   
existence as Aeka hesitated.  
  
Behind them, Washu quickly stepped towards the fallen android that was   
rapidly joining back together, her hand holding a chemical spray.  
  
"Washu!" Sasami screamed. Several salvos of crimson streamed from forest   
at Washu. Cursing, Washu's shield materialised, her angry eyes watching in   
muted frustration through the flashes on her shield as the cyborg formed   
up before her.  
  
Washu swore vehemently as the silvery cyborg got up and gave her a   
cheerful grin, before moving out after the other one. Mihoshi and Kiyone   
blasted it, but it quickly sent a crimson ball of energy in their   
direction, and the two officers jumped out of the way of the blast, giving   
it a chance to make good its escape.  
  
===========================================================  
  
The Katsuhito cyborg's blasts stopped as Ryoko materialised beside him.   
The space pirate flew on him in a rage, but the robot calmly parried her   
blow. Ryoko feinted and stabbed, forgetting the robots were impervious to   
such attacks, and watched as her sword struck through the thing's chest.   
Fortunately, she managed to teleport away before her own arm got lopped   
off - that certainly wasn't as dispensable as the robot's.  
  
"Damn, what will it take to bring this thing down!?" Ryoko pondered as an   
orange glow lit up her hand. Katsuhito smiled a sagely smile, and brought   
Nobuyuki up before him, before bounding away as Ryoko hesitated. "Don't   
you dare get away!" She ground her teeth and prepared to give chase, but a   
continual barrage of scarlet beams forced her to duck and weave among the   
trees. Kova ran past her, his forearms deflecting the beams from him, as   
he vanished into the trees, and the laser blasts stopped rather abruptly,   
leaving the night cold and blue again.  
  
===========================================================  
  
Katsuhito, or Yosho, took slow, even steps, his eyes searching carefully   
among the trees. He had been aroused from his usually restful evening by   
sounds of explosions and fighting from the house below, and was rather   
curious as to the red laser beams that had shot into the sky. Trusting to   
his instincts that it was no laughing matter, he had taken up his bokken   
and gone for a walk.  
  
He raised his eyebrow as he saw a running figure. It was a rather young   
man, about twenty five at most, with blue hair and dressed in ragged blue   
pants and jacket. On his shoulders he recognised his son-in-law. Katsuhito   
shook his head.  
  
Young people nowadays, so delinquent. Imagine catching someone as hentai   
as Nobuyuki. Not to mention arousing everyone in the process, and making a   
mess of an otherwise peaceful evening.  
  
Kova spun around, Nobuyuki on his shoulders. His chill blue eyes   
attempted to pierce the trees and the shadows they cast on the ground, but   
he saw no one.  
  
Katsuhito shook his head.  
  
Quite a handsome chap. Too bad he's on the wrong side of the law.  
  
Kova prepared to run. He could hear sounds of pursuit, but they might not   
find him yet. It was because something told him there was a strong foe,   
nearby.  
  
Katsuhito stepped out from behind a tree.  
  
"Excuse me, young man, could you return me my son-in-law?"  
  
Kova turned around slowly, the fear showing plain on his face, but it was   
not pale. His blue eyes gleamed in the dark like stones, as he regarded   
the frail old man behind him, who was looking calmly at him with a vague   
smile on his face.  
  
"My son-in-law, please?" Katsuhito yawned a little as he leaned on a   
tree, his bokken flicking idly up and down in the air. Kova stared at him,   
wide eyed.  
  
I can't run away.  
  
Kova slowly took Nobuyuki off his shoulder and presented him with both   
hands to Katsuhito. The former prince extended both his arms, leaving his   
bokken by the tree, to receive him like a prize.  
  
Two stabs of red lasers shot from the hands under Nobuyuki towards   
Katsuhito.  
  
Katsuhito gently caught Nobuyuki, and stepped away.  
  
That's funny, Kova thought to himself as he saw his red laser sword   
flicker out of existence. I could have sworn I blocked his bokken.  
  
His eyes still staring in shock, Kova gently toppled down, split into two   
at the waist. The tree which Katsuhito had leaned on creaked a little, for   
its trunk had two gaping holes, and landed on top of Kova with a rustling   
crash.  
  
Katsuhito shook his head, and stared at the bokken handle in his hand. He   
looked at a tree about two metres beside him, where its wooden blade of   
the bokken had cut almost halfway into.  
  
Young people nowadays. Thinking their new fangled weapons could help   
them. All that did was make me lose a bokken.  
  
Shaking his head at how heavy the unconscious Nobuyuki was, he made for   
his shrine.  
  
===========================================================  
  
"Stick together and stay here." Kiyone told Mihoshi, Sasami, Tenchi and   
Aeka. "Don't let them split us up."  
  
"My father's up there!" Tenchi almost shouted at her.  
  
"Relax, Kova and Ryoko can get him back." Kiyone told him. "Who knows   
what confusion they might wreak there in the forest?"  
  
The image of Ryoko and Kova battling earlier returned to Tenchi's mind.  
  
"They'll come back anyway." Washu commented.  
  
"Why would they?" Tenchi asked, his face skeptical. "They've got my dad."  
  
"Who would want him?" Washu asked, letting out her irritation by   
squeezing her chemical spray hard. Not that it would break, it was made   
out of elastic material. "Other than you, I mean?"  
  
"Then what do they want?" Aeka asked, unsure whether or not.  
  
Washu just lightly tapped her own chest.  
  
"You?" Mihoshi asked.  
  
Washu face-faulted. "No! Not me, Mihoshi! The Tachyon Blaster!"  
  
There was silence.  
  
"I hope they're all right." Sasami murmured.  
  
===========================================================  
  
Katsuhito arched an eyebrow as he heard movement in the plants around   
him, but otherwise he remained totally unaffected.  
  
The person watching him from the trees blinked in puzzlement.  
  
Why is the cyborg holding Tenchi's father with both hands, looking so calm,  
and strolling along as though he were taking a walk in the park?  
  
Uncertainty took hold of him. Perhaps, he would have to make sure first…  
  
A silver blur arced out of the trees.  
  
Katsuhito, not looking up, caught it, and tossed it back, as it seethed   
with electricity upon being held by someone other than its owner. Supple   
fingers snatched it out the air as Kova stepped into the sight.  
  
"Surrender him, old man." The spy ordered.  
  
Katsuhito shook his head slowly. "You again? One would think you'd   
learn." He gently set his son-in-law down.  
  
Pity my bokken's broken, he thought.  
  
Kova hesitated at his gentle actions, and Katsuhito peered at him   
curiously.  
  
"If there's nothing I can do for you, I'll be wishing you a good night."  
  
Kova stopped, puzzled. This person was clearly not a cyborg, but if he   
was aiding them, he could not afford to let him go. Better safe than   
sorry.  
  
Katsuhito saw a blur before him, and quickly sidestepped.  
  
Not bad, he's learnt to move much faster now. Pretty great improvement in   
such a short time.  
  
Kova opened his mouth in shock as he tripped over Katsuhito's foot.   
Rolling as he fell, he just managed to scoop up Nobuyuki, and stand on his   
feet. Katsuhito watched, half amused at the shining scythe Kova held   
menacingly between him and Katsuhito. "Stay back, old man!" He warned.  
  
"My, that's a very nice scythe you got there!" He smiled genially.   
"Reminds me of my sword…"  
  
Kova fell back, his jaw smarting. His solar plexus, jaw, forearms, chest   
and knee caps had all been struck at, but he had managed to avoid or block   
them all, except the second strike. He held his scythe up again, his hand   
a little unsteady, as he carried Nobuyuki in the other.  
  
"Impressive." Katsuhito nodded his approval, for the edges of both his   
sleeves had been cut off by the scythe's deadly sweep. "Maybe I'll train   
you like I teach my grandson." He rolled back his sleeves…  
  
Sensing danger, the old man ducked and rolled away as three orange plasma   
beams shot from behind over where he had been standing. Kova quickly   
raised his free forearm, and his scythe, deflecting the three blasts, as   
Ryoko flew in, her face a grim mask of anger, her orange laser sword in   
hand.  
  
She looked at Kova, surprised that he was still alive. "Whoever you are,   
bring Tenchi's father back. As for you…" Her hands seethed with energy as   
she stared at Katsuhito, teeth bared.  
  
What a very strange evening, Katsuhito thought to himself, as he   
effortlessly darted in and out between Ryoko's laser beams, trying to   
keep in sight of his son-in-law and the young abductor who was bounding   
away.  
  
===========================================================  
  
Kova walked out of the base of the forest, holding Nobuyuki in his arms.  
  
"Well done, Kova-chan," Kiyone smiled as he emerged from the shadows.  
  
He gave a cold smirk, then a scarlet laser sword was held before   
Nobuyuki's throat.  
  
"Kova-chan?" Kiyone eyes dilated, her voice going cold, as Tenchi, his   
anger showing plainly on his face, stopped the advancing Aeka.  
  
Mihoshi looked at Kova curiously, "What's going on?"  
  
"Give me the Tachyon Blaster," the metallic voice announced.  
  
Washu's eyes narrowed, her hand squeezing the chemical spray hard. "Not   
in…" Someone lay a hand on her shoulder and her pink eyes met Tenchi's.   
Anger and rage burned within the brown eyes, but at the same time they   
pleaded and begged with her.  
  
"Please, Washu…" his voice was low, serious, and beseeching.  
  
Washu turned from him and stared at the smirking cyborg, her eyes blazing   
in anger. "All right, you bastard, you win." Slowly she removed the   
Tachyon Blaster from within the folds of her dress and took a reluctant   
step towards the thing. Kova drew back a step, his sword pressing closer   
to Nobuyuki.  
  
"I don't trust you," he stared at Washu, then at Sasami. "You, little   
girl, bring it to me!"  
  
"Don't listen, Sasami!" Aeka ordered.  
  
"Do it or he dies!"  
  
Sasami looked hesitantly at Washu, then Tenchi.  
  
"Sasami, I'm sorry." Tenchi shook his head, his sword hanging down limply   
by his side.  
  
The little princess remained silent. Looking at Washu, she gingerly   
reached out a hand. Sighing in defeat, Washu passed the Blaster to Sasami.   
The princess moved over, as the Kova cyborg slowly brought Nobuyuki up   
onto his shoulder, his sword still taking care to hover near his throat,   
so he had the other hand free.  
  
===========================================================  
  
In the meantime, Kova, still fleeing from the old man that pursued him,   
apparently unhampered by Ryoko's blasts, pieced together some things.  
  
'You again?' '…my sword…' '…teach my grandson…'  
  
It all fitted in so well…  
  
"You're Yosho!" He cried, spinning around.  
  
"So?" Katsuhito deftly somersaulted, half twisted, and ducked another   
series of Ryoko's blasts.  
  
"Ryoko! Stop it! He's Tenchi's grandfather!" Ryoko's eyes widened in   
surprise as she took in Kova's pronouncement. "I'm sorry, great one!" He   
hastily put Nobuyuki on the ground. "Take care of him, please! And sorry!"   
They were already almost on the level of shrine.  
  
"What's going on!?" Ryoko alighted, staring at Katsuhito. Katsuhito   
ignored her and picked Nobuyuki up, walking back to the shrine. She   
mentally slapped herself on the forehead.  
  
I should have known. It's just like Yosho to act so unworried.  
  
===========================================================  
  
Sasami went over, and placed the weapon in his outstretched and open   
hand. The creature raised the gun, triumphantly.  
  
"Let's test this thing." He smiled evilly, his finger holding the   
trigger, as Sasami's eyes widened in fear. Washu tried, and managed to,   
stop herself from grinning - her Stasis Discharger was ready for any such   
attempt. Instead however, the hand pulsed red for a moment, and then he   
grinned. "Object analysis complete. Purpose, to emit Tachyon stream   
capable of mass destruction, with adjustable setting."  
  
"My father…?" Tenchi asked, worried.  
  
"Oh yes, this human. We have no use for him, I'm afraid." He set Nobuyuki   
down, one hand holding the blaster, the other still keeping his sword   
point close to his throat. "So you may have him back." Tenchi's eyes   
brightened hopefully. "His body, I mean." Grinning, the cyborg thrust his   
blade into Nobuyuki's throat.  
  
"DAD!" Tenchi screamed, his voice the utter embodiment of horror and   
loss. Laughing maniacally, Kova kicked the body over to Tenchi, and back   
flipped away.  
  
Yellow lasers and pink blasts split the air as Kiyone, Mihoshi and Washu   
attacked while Aeka charged at the murderer. The scarlet laser sword   
lashed out, knocking the tiny guardians out of the air, and laser blasts   
shot back at Aeka's shield.  
  
"Dad…" Tenchi whispered brokenly, cradling Nobuyuki, with a gaping red   
hole in his throat. Sasami, her eyes tearful, knelt by him, trying not to   
see the dead body.  
  
"Tenchi, I…" Her eyes widened in fear as Nobuyuki's eyes sprang open.  
  
Tenchi felt a vicious kick in his stomach and he sailed back into the   
air, as Nobuyuki grabbed the stunned Sasami around the waist. The princess   
gasped in fear as before her astonished face Nobuyuki's throat mended   
back.  
  
"YOU!" Tenchi shouted in anger and shock as he got up, stomach hurting,   
and Washu, Mihoshi and Kiyone turned around, but not attacking for fear of   
striking Sasami.  
  
"Farewell, humans." The robot smirked. "Stellar, Solar, take us up!"   
Kiyone, Mihoshi and Washu watched helpless, as a silver light from the   
heavens enveloped Nobuyuki and the struggling Sasami under his arms.  
  
Aeka opened her eyes in shock as a beam of white descended from the night   
sky and sucked the Kova cyborg upwards in mid leap, so that she just   
skimmed by under. The thing grinned at her as her blue force field just   
missed it, and vanished skywards.  
  
=== End of Chapter ===  
  
NOTES:  
Kova is in a way, an SIed character. Pls include him in your  
comments, whether I have portrayed him as a person, as a friend  
or foe, as one of the gang, and most importantly, as a human being.  
I have some pictures of him, not too good pencil drawings, if you  
wish to take a look pls mail me.  
  
I hope you have enjoyed this Fanfic as much as I have typing it.  
If there are any more grammar errors, I beg your forgiveness, as  
my sole proofreader is myself.  
  
This is my first FF, so go ahead and mail me at zyraen@yahoo.com  
with comments, especially on character portrayal, realism.  
  



	10. No Need for Pursuit

Disclaimer :  
Most characters in this story are property of AIC and Pioneer.  
They are in such a situation solely because of my imagination.  
This story was written purely for fun.  
  
This FF is based on the TV Series, with some powers drawn over  
from the OAV, but with no Light Hawk Wings.  
  
This story contains no sex, so please do not expect it.  
  
Before I wrote this Fanfic, I have only read 2 Fanfics, Aikan  
Muyo and To Love & To Hate. Since then I have read some others,  
and have noted some writers have a tendency to portray some  
characters inaccurately. I hope I have not fallen into that trap.  
  
That's about it, I'm a simple soul at heart...  
  
  
DARKNESS & LIGHT - No Need For Kova  
  
By Zyraen  
  
Chapter IX : No Need for Pursuit  
  
Ryoko and Kova materialised, their faces apologetic.  
  
"What happened!?" Washu cried at them. "I thought you both could handle  
it!"  
  
"Yosho took Tenchi's father from the cyborg, that probably appeared as me!"  
Kova told her. "How was I to recognise him?"  
  
"Ryoko?" Tenchi shot her a sharp glance. She seemed to wilt before his  
gaze.  
  
"Yagami!" Kiyone called, holding her ring up, her face a paroxysm of anger,  
and the red GP spaceship entered the stratosphere above them.  
  
"Where's Sasami?" Kova cast his eye anxiously around.  
  
"She's gone!" Kiyone said rather acidly. "And I have failed in my duty to  
protect her." Tugging at her stunned partner. "Come on, Mihoshi, we have a  
job to do."   
  
"I'll go with you," Kova added. "I need to get that Tachyon Blaster back."   
  
"Isn't my sister more important than a mere weapon!?" Aeka asked, her anger  
showing plainly on her face. "We need to get my sister back!"  
  
"Not so." Washu pointed out. "The Tachyon Blaster is probably the most  
powerful invention ever. Is Sasami more important than the entire Juraian  
Empire?" Her eyes went to Kova.  
  
Can we trust him? She asked herself.  
  
Kova ignored her, watching the Yagami. "Your ship is too slow. I'll take mine."  
He looked Kiyone in the eye. "Take care, Kiyone-chan."  
  
Kiyone smiled faintly in acknowledgement. "You too, Kova-chan."  
  
Ryoko picked the sobbing Ryo-oh-ki off the ground, where she had hopped  
onto the moment the cyborg asked Sasami to deliver the gun to it, and tossed  
her high in the air. Kova did not even bother to watch her amazing  
transformation into a spacecraft, but his silver rod opened a portal slightly  
above his height.  
  
"Shuriken!" He called, and stepped into the rift. A moment later, his ship  
emerged from the darkness of the portal. They caught a brief glimpse of a  
silver capsule, slightly larger than a car, with a glass cover like a cockpit and  
no visible weapons, before it streaked up and vanished into the sky.  
  
"Wow." Washu said, gazing in the direction of the vanished speck. "I had no  
idea…"  
  
Ryoko stared suspiciously as Koneko and Anako played with each other,  
gambolling and rolling about on the ground, totally oblivious to the earlier  
battles. "Washu, how did those cyborgs know what we were doing?"   
  
"Don't ask me, they…" Washu fell silent as she watched Ryoko staring hard  
at the two kittens. "I'll check on them." To prove her word, she picked up both  
the kittens. Anako spun around gently as it struggled to get back to Aeka,  
while Koneko licked Washu's hand happily.  
  
Man, I sure feel bad about this, she thought to herself, looking at the two  
kittens.  
  
"Can we go now?" Aeka and Tenchi asked irritably.  
  
===========================================================  
  
"Incoming transmission."  
  
"Well, have you done it?" He asked, anxiously. For a reply one cyborg held  
up the Tachyon Blaster, and the other an unconscious Sasami. "Excellent  
work, Terminus and Satellite!"  
  
Pity, I cannot lay my hands on that spacecraft of the spy.  
  
"Reporting, Stellar and Solar under pursuit." The intercom blared out behind  
the two cyborgs. "Two crafts detected, one of mineral and Mass origin,  
otherwise known as Ryo-oh-ki. The other is a GP spacecraft with enhanced  
weapon systems and speed. Estimated Time of Interception, ten minutes.  
ETA to SSS Comet, fifteen minutes."  
  
Overlord stared into the screen, "Full speed ahead! Stellar continue return to  
Comet at Uranus, Solar to leave this system! If they break chase on Solar to  
pursue Stellar, Solar is to attack! Over."  
  
The transmission screen went out. He spoke into his ship's intercom.  
  
"Attention, all personnel. Arm major weapon systems and to set up  
interspace travel console!"  
  
===========================================================  
  
"They're splitting up!" Kiyone's face announced to the people on board  
Ryo-oh-ki, as the two light red spacecrafts zoomed away, one to the left, one  
to the right. "I'll take the one on the left! Ryoko, you take the one on the right."  
  
"No problem!" Ryoko gave her an okay sign.  
  
The Yagami swerved towards the one on the left, the two detectives at its  
helm, both in complete GP uniform.  
  
"Now, Mihoshi!"  
  
The blonde detective quickly pressed some controls, and thick metal twines  
with anchors at the end shot out of the Yagami at the target. The enemy ship  
did a quick roll over and moved up, as its green lasers emerged, slicing at  
tentacles.  
  
"Kiyone, look!" Mihoshi pointed as the beams cut up a few twines. "I think  
we'd better retract." She rather hastily pressed something.  
  
"Mihoshi!" Kiyone screamed. "That's the missile system! We haven't locked  
on yet!" She quickly pressed the right button while disengaging the missile  
operative system.  
  
"Oops…" They watched as three interspace missiles screamed through the  
space and vanished, sending a huge cloud of dust up on a distant moon, as  
the remaining tractor twines retracted back into the Yagami. The enemy  
spacecraft, realising the threat was neutralised, ceased firing and moved off.  
  
===========================================================  
  
Kova emerged from the subspace portal.  
  
"Intruder alert! Intruder alert!" All along the ship's corridors, mounted laser  
guns popped out of the ceilings and walls.  
  
"Shuriken, EMP!" Kova called as he raised the laser shields on his forearms.  
  
Out in space, the small ship keeping pace beside Stellar unleashed a wave of  
electromagnetic pulse at the larger ship alongside it. The shockwave shook  
the ship, and the guns stopped moving. Kova hurried up to where he thought  
the bridge would be.  
  
Prototype SL-Cam Solar disengaged from its outer shell, namely the  
spacecraft.  
  
It watched as a blue curved blade sliced diagonally through the door behind  
it, which split open, as Kova stepped onto the bridge. It was…  
  
…empty  
  
His blue eyes searched, but there was no sign of anyone operating the  
console of the spacecraft. There were five seats, presumably for pilots, but  
they were empty and the controls were left untouched. He forced himself not  
to move forward, but looked carefully at the controls. They were shining and  
bright, as though they were perfectly new and untouched. Behind them the  
seats were also perfectly clean.  
  
Something's wrong…  
  
===========================================================  
  
This was not good. Ryo-oh-ki were still hot on their tails, the GP spacecraft's  
flight path had not changed significantly from them and Solar was neither  
fleeing away nor opening fire, according to the orders he had received.  
  
"Stellar, prepare to open fire."  
  
===========================================================  
  
Green and scarlet plasma beams burst through the darkness of space from  
the light red spacecraft on their right towards Ryo-oh-ki respectively.   
  
"Ryo-oh-ki, evade and return enemy fire!" Ryoko ordered.   
  
"Miya?" the cabbit replied, "Miya, miya." Disapprovingly, as it spun around  
avoiding the showers of lasers.  
  
"Ryoko! Sasami's in there!" Aeka angrily told her off.  
  
"Oh yeah, force of habit, I guess." Ryoko smiled sheepishly, trying to ignore  
Tenchi and Aeka who were glaring at her. Washu was busy fiddling with the  
Anako and Koneko, who were strapped down to some metal plates. Both  
were mewing with frustration as Washu examined their bodies.  
  
"No sign of anything on them, Ryoko." She removed her probe and ran a  
hand along her forehead. "Metal detector reads nil." Shaking her head.  
"How's the chase?" She turned around, seeming to notice for the first time as  
emerald and ruby blasts inundated Ryo-oh-ki's view screen. "Oh, not very  
good, I see."  
  
"I'm glad you noticed." Ryoko replied drily. "Any ideas, Washu? We can  
barely gain ground on them!"  
  
"Can you get within eight hundred metres of them?" Washu looked over at  
the door, lying flat on the floor of Ryo-oh-ki.  
  
"Ryo-oh-ki?" Ryoko asked.  
  
"Miya!" Despondently, as another blast shook the ship. "Miya."  
  
"Difficult, but feasible." Ryoko replied, keeping her face straight. "We'll try."   
  
"MIYA!" Ryo-oh-ki cried. "Miya, miya!" Almost angrily.  
  
"Oh all right. We'll try if there's a change in the situation."  
  
===========================================================  
  
Kiyone watched as a transmission appeared on the screen, showing the  
empty insides of the Shuriken, mainly just a seat big enough for a person,  
then focusing on a monitor with Kova on it.  
  
"Kiyone-chan, the ship on your left is a dud! It's empty - chase the other one.  
I'll be returning to my own ship soon." He turned to walk out of the ship's  
bridge, and Kiyone watched as the screen's background changed so she  
could see the control room behind Kova's head.  
  
Kiyone nodded. "Yes, Kova-chan." Her eyes widened as she saw something  
shift behind his head. "KOVA!" Then the screen dropped away from his face,  
and fell on the ground so she could only see the ceiling.  
  
===========================================================  
  
He darted to the right, and pain lanced through his flesh as the green laser  
blast ripped into the top of his left shoulder, but then he rolled and got up as  
the shots ricocheted off his blue shield.  
  
Cursing, he watched as the cyborg morphed its lower self from a control seat  
into metallic limbs, similar to the Teranium cyborgs he had met, only this one  
was made of something else, slightly gold.  
  
"Solvarium…" The material had similar properties to Teranium, but due to its  
larger size, it had greater binding energy, and could not easily take up  
appearances of things other than metal.  
  
His right hand held his scythe, and he could feel blood flowing from his  
shoulder, seeping into his torn jacket and shirt, down his arm. Gritting his  
teeth, he forced himself to ignore the pain. The yellowish silver thing stood  
there, arms up and ready to fire, blank face looking at him impassively.  
  
"I'm fine, move on without me!" He shouted at the mini-screen on the ground  
between him and the cyborg. His scythe streaked right at the cyborg, as it  
simultaneously unleashed a series of green beams at his shield. The thing  
pulled back as the blue blade took off its head and an arm, but it continued  
firing with the other, its functionality apparently unaffected by the loss.  
  
Kova rolled to the side and gripped his returning scythe, watching as the  
robot's head and arm melted on the ground and joined back into its feet, even  
as its upper torso continued shooting non stop. He cursed as he saw the  
blobs form along the inclined plane his scythe had left on the thing in place of  
its chest, forming and growing back into another head and arm for the  
cyborg. Slowly, he backed away before the lasers, and the cyborg advanced,  
steady and unworried.  
  
Suddenly Kova leaped up, hands and legs gripping momentarily on the  
ceiling, and the lasers passed under him down the corridor as the scythe  
came arcing back to the android with a vengeance. The thing did not seem  
worried with the prospect of being split into two, so it did not even make a  
move to avoid the scythe this time.  
  
Kova smiled as the scythe detonated, splattering the corridor with globules of  
metal, before returning to his hand, whole again. He watched for a moment,  
holding his injured shoulder as the goldish silver droplets rapidly came  
together again, then seizing the momentary respite, a portal appeared before  
the silver rod and he stepped through after snatching up his fallen  
transmitter.  
  
Solar picked itself up, shaking its head a little, and returned to the bridge.  
  
It would have to wait until the EMP's effect had worn off before trying to cover  
up for Stellar. But the attack on the ship was not without cost. Being in  
complete synchronisation with the ship meant it could calculate the  
magnitude of the pulse…  
  
===========================================================  
  
"Professor Washu," Kova's face appeared on the screen on board Ryo-oh-ki.  
"They've got Solvarium cyborgs too."  
  
Washu put her hands on her hip. "So what do you want me to do, mister? I've  
got pretty a lot of things on my mind." She gestured to the two wriggling cats  
behind. As if to prove a point, Ryo-oh-ki's shield absorbed another blast that  
shook the ship.  
  
Kova appeared unperturbed, but he was trying to ignore the pain in his  
shoulder and not get irritated with the uncooperative scientist. "I understand  
only you have semi-permanent access to your chemicals and elements. Get  
ready another container with…"  
  
"I know, I know." Washu muttered, waving a hand irritably. "For a person who  
stole from me you're expecting pretty much from me, aren't you?"  
  
"I don't have a choice." He gritted his teeth. "If I had the materials I'd do it  
myself. In elementary studies I know as much as you do." He smirked a little.  
"And believe me, in terms of pragmatism you are way behind me." His eye  
went to the kittens. "Searching for bugs?"  
  
"Nil returns on the metal detector." Washu's face was stony.  
  
"Try organic devices. Internal." Kova smiled patronisingly.  
  
"Oh, yeah…" Washu smiled nervously and ran her fingers through her hair,  
forgetting herself for a moment. Then she suddenly recollected her position.  
"Hey, I was thinking of that, you know!"  
  
He shook his head, bemused. "Like I said, you're way behind me, professor."  
  
Washu was about to retort, but the laughing face flickered out.  
  
"Where in the universe did Kiyone pick this guy up?" Ryoko asked, a little too  
brightly. "Kinda like his style." Washu glared at her.  
  
"Ryoko, quiet." Tenchi warned under his breath. "Washu, who is he  
anyway?" He tried to ignore the seemingly endless waves of blasts that were  
streaking through the darkness of space towards Ryo-oh-ki and them.  
  
"His name is Kova Kashiro, and he's a grade A space pirate." Washu  
announced as she typed at her terminal, and Ryoko's eyebrow raised  
questioningly. "He also happens to be the person who stole the Tachyon  
Blaster and everything from my Academy."  
  
"What!?" Aeka exclaimed, her expression incredulous. "You mean we've  
been worrying ourselves half to death over him and Kiyone was with that  
person all along!"  
  
"You've got to be kidding me, Washu," Ryoko shook her head, but her brow  
furrowed up in serious thought. "Kiyone, pick up another me? Quit pulling  
our legs." She thought back to Kiyone, blaster and yo-yo, heart and soul, all  
bent on hauling her in the day they first met.  
  
"Believe me, I'm serious." Washu said, as she removed several bottles of  
solutions from her portal, and started mixing them.  
  
"What about taking him in?" Aeka asked.  
  
"Oh, I can always forge a transmission to Kiyone from Galaxy Police HQ  
telling her to rope him in. He wouldn't resist her, and the rest would be too  
easy."  
  
"HEY!!" Aeka, Ryoko, and Washu all stared at Tenchi, the outrage sounding  
clear in his voice. "That's not nice, Washu!"  
  
"Tenchi!?" The astonishment showed plainly on her face, even as Ryoko and  
Aeka looked queerly at him. "You, are siding with him?"  
  
"Kova, if that is indeed his name, is no friend of mine." Tenchi recalled their  
meetings, when he had gripped his throat twice, and being woken up by the  
sweep of his scythe. "But if you did that, it would be very hard on Kiyone, and  
that's not what a friend should do."  
  
Washu held her gaze steadily. "It's not just that, is it, Tenchi? You've seen  
something about him, you know something." Her hands went back to their  
work, pouring the compound into a bottle.  
  
Unbidden, the vision flooded back. He could see, in the dim, azure light of the  
early dawn, the figure still as a statue, by Kiyone's side. The way his hands  
clasped Kiyone's tightly, yet so gently. His caring, tender expression, yet  
simultaneously so melancholy. Then he was standing over Tenchi, waking  
him up, not gently, but in a manner to achieve maximum utility. Not that he  
cared particularly for Tenchi, but simply because he was Kiyone's friend.  
  
"Tenchi, are you all right?" Aeka asked, concerned, as he stared into space.  
Another blast shook the ship and returned the boy to his senses.  
  
"Uh, I'm fine." Tenchi replied, distractedly, before turning to Washu, his voice  
determined. "Washu, I don't think you have read this person right… Kova and  
Kiyone - it's not something you should stand in the way of." He thought of  
himself, about Ryoko and Aeka, how his own love was barred, in a way, by  
those he loved. "I wouldn't."  
  
Washu appeared surprised, and yet thoughtful. "I can't say I agree completely  
with you, Tenchi, but I'll try to see it your way." Her mind returned to their  
situation, as she finally finished with the compounds and poured the final  
solution into another chemical spray. "Ryo-oh-ki, can you bring us nearer?"  
  
"Miya." The lasers were still coming in, and it was all Ryo-oh-ki could do to  
keep pace with the other ship.  
  
Through the glass, they watched as the Yagami moved in from the left, and  
the scarlet blasts turned to fire at the GP craft. Kiyone's face flashed onto the  
screen. "Move in! We'll cover you."  
  
"MIYA!" Ryo-oh-ki exclaimed in delight, and Ryoko smiled as they all felt the  
engines surge.   
  
"Get ready, people." Tenchi drew his sword grimly as Washu picked the door  
up. The scientist watched the space carefully, watching as through the green  
lasers they drew near to the pink ship.  
  
Where is Kova? Washu thought to herself. If he had participated in this battle,  
we surely would not have to wait till Yagami came to attack…  
  
"We're in range! Let's go!" Washu popped open the door.  
  
"Ryo-oh-ki, keep them busy!" Ryoko vanished into the doorway after Tenchi  
and Aeka. Washu picked up the two sprays, holding them tentatively, then  
checked that her Stasis Discharger was all set. She glanced back at the two  
kittens, sighed, and stepped through.  
  
===========================================================  
  
Kiyone felt the Yagami shudder again, and pursed her lips in irritation,  
wondering what in the blue blazes was she and Mihoshi were supposed to  
do. Stuck on board the Yagami, firing was not an option, they had no way of  
boarding, and no way of slowing the other ship down.   
  
Basically just stay in the air and get shot at.  
  
Suddenly the scarlet beams stopped coming, and Kiyone looked through her  
view screen, at the empty space, devoid of lasers. Ryo-oh-ki had stopped  
moving, partly out of surprise, and the Yagami was cruising gently towards  
the enemy craft. She looked incredulously at the two other ships. Combined  
with the Yagami, they probably made a splendid representative of galactic  
peace.  
  
As if that were the case, she reminded herself.  
  
"Wish to go in and join the fun?" She heard a familiar voice ask behind her.  
  
"Kova-chan! Don't you come sneaking into my ship like that!" As she turned  
around she saw Mihoshi covering her mouth to hide her sniggers, and fought  
the urge to blush. "Oh, by the way, I don't believe I've actually introduced you  
to my partner."  
  
Kova, dressed in the same garb, albeit with some cloth covering his left  
shoulder so Kiyone would not see his wound, took a good look at the blonde,  
who was looking from him to Kiyone and back again, as if mentally seeing  
how they'd look together. "My name is Kova Kashiro, and I do believe we've  
met already, right, Mihoshi?"  
  
Mihoshi looked blankly at him, a finger before her lips. "Did Kiyone tell you  
my name?"   
  
"No, you told me, remember?" He grinned rascally.  
  
She wrinkled her brow in thought. "No, I don't. But you look a little familiar,  
Kova."  
  
"Don't worry about it!" He smiled, and turned back to Kiyone. "Coming?" He  
pointed his thumb over his shoulder at the dimensional rift behind him.  
  
Kiyone reached for her blasters, and suddenly stopped. She took a quick  
glance and saw Mihoshi, no longer looking at them, but staring blankly out  
into space, at Ryo-oh-ki and the enemy craft, trying to breathe evenly. Her  
blue eyes were cool and distant, her thoughts far away from where she was,  
and her smile had vanished from her face.  
  
"Kova-chan, I…" she turned to him, but from the look in his eyes she knew he  
had seen.  
  
"I understand, Kiyone-chan," he smiled slightly. Reaching into his pocket he  
took what looked like a larger version of a silencer out, and held it out to her.  
"I was hoping I could see you use this device, but I guess I was wrong." He  
laughed, but Kiyone still heard the slightly bitter tone in his voice he was  
trying to hide. "I designed this thing early in my Academy stint, as an  
explosive enhancer for my blaster. I think it will work really well against those  
robots, only you have to take care of the recoil and the radius."  
  
"Thank you." She said softly, as she took it from him. He watched her intently  
as she removed the silencer and fitted it on his blaster. "I'll try it out next time,  
really." He nodded slightly in response. "Take care, Kova-chan."  
  
Mihoshi turned to watch as the rift vanished, and saw Kiyone still sitting in  
her seat, looking expressionlessly at the newly outfitted blaster. "Kiyone?"  
  
"Yes, Mihoshi?" She gently ran her fingers over the surface of the weapon.  
  
"Why did you stay, Kiyone?" Mihoshi watched her intently. "I thought you  
and him…"  
  
"I do love him, Mihoshi," Kiyone still kept her eyes on the blaster. "Only, you  
mustn't think I don't care for you too." She smiled faintly, half at herself.  
"You're my partner, Mihoshi."  
  
Who would have thought I'd say something like that to Mihoshi?  
  
"Kiyone?"  
  
"Besides, who knows when the EMP will wear off and the other spacecraft  
return, or maybe reinforcements arrive. We have to stay here to look out for  
those things."  
  
Mihoshi beamed superficially. "And I'd never be able to handle all those by  
myself, so you're staying with me, right, Kiyone?" Her voice trembled slightly,  
and she moved her hand over between their seats.  
  
Still keeping her eyes on the blaster, Kiyone nodded silently, and took  
Mihoshi's hand.  
  
===========================================================  
  
Tenchi, Ryoko and Aeka stood at the end of the corridor, in their respective  
battlesuits. Tenchi grinned a little, savouring his first time battling with both  
Ryoko and Aeka by his side. Washu nodded as she strolled towards them,  
picking her way over the debris and smouldering metal pieces that remained  
of the corridor's automated, mounted laser guns.  
  
"So sad." Ryoko stared back at the debris. "That was interesting, up till the  
time they all suddenly stopped blasting lasers."  
  
"So did you kids enjoy yourselves?" The scientist asked as she drew near.  
  
Tenchi gave a half hearted grin, while Aeka looking offended, retorted. "What  
do you mean by that, Washu?"  
  
"Not completely," Ryoko intentionally ignored Aeka's comment. "The guns  
suddenly stopped firing, after the ship trembled a little."  
  
Washu peered from one to the other, wondering who she should reply to.  
  
"Washu, which way do we go now?" Tenchi asked.  
  
"That way," Washu pointed. After all, it was a small ship, and she was the  
greatest scientific genius in the universe, so how wrong could she be about  
the bridge's position?  
  
"Aww, no more fun." Ryoko sighed. The laser guns were inanimate, some  
only half out of the walls, others still within the walls. Tenchi lowered his  
sword, sighing with relief.  
  
"That was fast." Washu commented as she poked her head around the  
corner she had been hiding. "You people have definitely improved, by a lot."  
She took in the immobile turrets. "Oh."  
  
"Let's get on with it!" Aeka growled. "I've got to get my sister back!"  
  
A few more turns brought them to the entrance to the ship's bridge.  
  
"Here we go." Tenchi's sword rose, preparing to slice the metallic door open.  
  
Aeka saw two tiny sections of the door, near Tenchi's chest height, seeming  
to liquefy and form tubes facing Tenchi. "Tenchi?"  
  
"Yes, Aeka?" The sword swept down.  
  
The two tubes took on an eerie glow…  
  
"WATCH OUT!" Aeka screamed.  
  
Tenchi dived to the left, but he was too slow, and one green beam slammed  
into his right chest. "Aaaaargh!" as it emerged from behind him.  
  
"TENCHI!" Ryoko and Aeka screamed.   
  
He fell back from the door, his body about to hit the floor before Ryoko  
caught him. His sword fell to the ground, its azure blade extinguished.  
  
Ryoko and Aeka knelt down, Ryoko holding his body, feeling his blood flow  
through her hands, as Aeka cradled his head in her arms.  
  
"Aeka…, Ryoko…, I…" Tenchi gulped, feeling his consciousness slip away,  
the taste of blood on his lips. Dimly he could hear the sounds of laser  
weapons blasting, and he could feel his blood was everywhere, couldn't  
breathe, darkness, darkness everywhere…  
  
"Get out of here!" Washu was standing between them and the door, her pink  
shield trembling under the emerald onslaught of a goldish silver cyborg.  
"Leave Tenchi!"  
  
Aeka and Ryoko, both tearful and in mourning, were lost for the moment,  
treasuring the last sight of their dear beloved Tenchi, who had a pencil-sized  
hole in his right chest, and paid her no heed.  
  
"Leave Tenchi, or I cannot save him!!" Washu screamed, half in fury and half  
in fear, as her Stasis Discharger crackled with energy.  
  
Ryoko felt a something grip her collar and drag her back, as Aeka briefly  
glimpsed a silver blur as something struck her head, knocking her away from  
Tenchi.  
  
"Professor, now!" Someone cried.  
  
Ryoko and Aeka looked on, horrified that they should be torn from Tenchi in  
his moment of need. A golden beam shot out of Washu's bracelet, and they  
watched as Tenchi was encapsulated in a transparent block of golden  
material of side two metres, seemingly caught for all eternity treading the fine  
line between life and death.  
  
Washu spun around and something was tossed at her. She grabbed it on  
instinct - Tenchi's sword, then a blue scythe was sweeping through the air at  
the android.   
  
As if on cue, the door behind the thing opened as the cyborg stepped back,  
its lasers momentarily ceasing their barrage.  
  
"Washu!" Sasami cried from within, held within the grasp of a form. Then her  
eyes lighted on the cube behind the scientist. "Tenchi…?"  
  
"Professor, get them back to Ryo-oh-ki! I'll hold them off!" The blade arced  
between Sasami's viewpoint and Washu, before Kova's form filled the door  
way, cerulean scythe gleaming with power. Sasami cried out in alarm as the  
three cyborgs, one slightly golden and the other two pure silver, raised their  
arms as one.  
  
"Ryoko, Aeka, get Tenchi's cell to safety!" Washu ordered, leaping away as  
the doorway exploded into scarlet light and Kova was slammed backwards,  
missing her by a hair's breadth before crashing into the wall.  
  
Lost in their fear for Tenchi's life, Ryoko and Aeka dumbly obeyed the  
scientist, as the trio hurried back away from the door. Kova nearly hurled his  
scythe forward, then remembering Sasami, halted. Bolts of crimson and  
emerald streaked through the doorway, as he fought valiantly to deflect the  
missiles with his spinning scythe and shining shields.  
  
Halfway down the corridor, Washu suddenly realised something - her door  
could not take in the cell, it was too big. "Kashiro! I need a portal to  
Ryo-oh-ki!" She called back down behind her.  
  
In reply, there was another explosion, and Kova emerged running from  
around the corner, his form scarred and his garb even more torn. Washu  
looked in surprise at his left shoulder, which was bleeding profusely, from a  
rather deep, reopened wound, that stained the tatters of his blue jacket and  
tee red. "What do you want, professor!?" He breathed, the pain showing in  
his voice, though he still stood tall and undefeated by his suffering.  
  
"I need you to open a portal, to Ryo-oh-ki."  
  
Swiftly, he tossed his scythe into the passageway and darted after it as  
several green and ruby beams shot past, along with a single glowing scarlet  
sphere. Flying in mid air as its master rolled onto the floor around the corner,  
the scythe transformed into a silver rod, and a dimensional rift opened  
between him and Washu. Kova reached out his hand for it as it came twirling  
back, and stood up so he faced the corner he came from. "Move it! Now!" An  
explosion erupted further down the ship, probably due to the explosive ball of  
energy that had missed Kova.  
  
The scythe swept down at the first sign of movement around the corner. The  
Solvarium cyborg, unprepared for the attack, had almost its entire upper body  
sliced off, but it nevertheless continued firing with the remaining hand, green  
lasers reflecting off Kova's shield. "Professor, Solvarium Formula!" He called,  
as the deflected beams cut holes in the cyborg's form.  
  
"It's here, but I can't, I must attend to Tenchi!" Washu cried as she stepped  
into the portal after Ryoko and Aeka, with their cargo. Cursing as the portal  
closed, Kova threw himself backwards and his weapon hurtled towards the  
partially disabled robot. There was a miniature detonation as the scythe  
struck before turned back into a rod and opening a portal. Kova ran forward,  
diving over the remains of the Solvarium cyborg, his hand snatching the  
returning rod out of the air as several red beams skimmed by him, and dived  
headfirst into the rift.  
  
"Ungh!" He grunted as sharp pain shot through his right calf. Then he was  
inside the Shuriken, staring into space. He waved the rod slightly, and  
reached in, pulling out a medical box. Shaking his head, he mused to himself.  
  
Well, Washu can attend to the other people. Me, I have only myself.  
  
===========================================================  
  
"What happened?" Kiyone and Mihoshi exclaimed together. On their screen  
they could see a dispirited Ryoko sprawled on the ground, staring up into  
space, while beside her, a humbled Aeka knelt, praying fervently. Even from  
where she was Kiyone could see they had both been crying. No one was at  
the view screen, and in the distance she could make out Washu fussing  
about a golden transparent cube with something in it that she could not quite  
make out. "What's going on? Can someone tell me?"  
  
"Kiyone!" Washu called from where she was. "I'm busy, because something's  
happened to Tenchi. Speak to Kashiro." She paused, as if thinking. "And he's  
also hurt, somewhat." Washu turned back to Tenchi, trying to think of a way  
to simulate his brain waves and direct his innate Jurai power.  
  
"Hello? Anyone?" Mihoshi tried again, as Kiyone sat back, absorbing the  
shocking news. Although there were three conscious people on Ryo-oh-ki,  
none of them responded anymore. Kiyone, looking despondent, quickly  
disengaged.  
  
Washu heaved a sigh of relief - after she had input the (loonng!) Stasis matrix  
that held the particles in suspended state, her computer could now send the  
pulses down carefully by disencoding the matrix and recoding it back almost  
immediately, hence apply simulation to Tenchi. Of course, oxygen molecules  
would also have to be sent down to keep his cells alive.  
  
"Ryoko, Aeka, you can get over here now."   
  
===========================================================  
  
"Darn, how do you send a transmission to his ship?" She cursed. Kova's  
ship was technically invisible, and one could not send a transmission without  
knowing a ship's coordinates. Typing a few more buttons, "Transmit  
message in radius one hundred points around Yagami - 'Kova-chan.'"  
  
After about twenty seconds, Kova's face flashed on the transmission screen.  
"Hello, Kiyone-chan. That was a little tastelessly blatant, don't you think?"  
  
"You didn't give me much of a choice, did you?" She laughed, but she noted  
she could only see his face, not any part of his body, and even then she  
could see the beads of sweat on his forehead. "Honest, what do you expect  
me to do?"  
  
"Well, not something so open. I imagine the two enemy space craft are  
wondering what you meant by your message. Next time just send out a  
transmission within radius twenty points with the message - 'K3M.' If I don't  
respond - too bad."  
  
"I'll just expand my sweep every thirty seconds until you do." Kiyone  
grinned. "By fifty points, so you'd better respond quickly. Anyway, I like your  
message."  
  
"You do?" His eyes lighted up. "Care to tell me what I meant?"  
  
"Your initials, and mine." She smiled, trying to ignore the sniggering Mihoshi.  
"Touching."  
  
"I'm glad you noticed. So what did you call me for?"  
  
"What happened back there? Where's Sasami?" Kiyone reverted to her  
business-like, no nonsense tone.  
  
"We had to pull out. Tenchi got hurt by a cyborg posing as a metal door."  
Kova's eyes dimmed.  
  
"How badly was he injured? And was anyone else hurt?"  
  
"He… got shot through the chest. Washu kept him in stasis to keep him  
alive." His gaze seemed to wander and not look directly at Kiyone. "I don't  
think anyone else got hurt."  
  
Kiyone frowned, her expression tense. "Don't you dare lie to me, Kova-chan!"  
  
Kova remained silent, his face stolid and fixed, though his eyes quivered a  
little.  
  
Kiyone softened her tone. "Are you hurt?"  
  
"Negligibly so. I will recover." He smiled faintly. "Don't trouble yourself,  
Kiyone-chan."  
  
"Come over, right now." She ordered. "It's not serious, so come over right  
now and present yourself to me." She watched his eyebrows twitch in  
irritation. "Look, Kova-chan. I love you, I don't deny that. I need to see that  
you are fine. If for nothing else, just because of that." She forced her ears to  
keep out the sound of Mihoshi sniffing, who was wiping a tear off her face.  
  
Kova's face seemed to dim, as though he had been deflated. "I'll come over,  
Kiyone-chan. But remember, I'll recover, so there's nothing to be worried too  
much about."  
  
The transmission went off and Kiyone turned to watched as a black rift  
appeared in the dimension, and Kova stepped out into the Yagami. "Well, you  
wanted to know, Kiyone."  
  
She stared at him, hard, as she saw the bloodstains almost halfway down his  
shoulder, and the dark patch on his torn dark blue trousers all the way down  
from his right shin.  
  
"Ko..va-chan?" She asked, as he sat down on the floor of the Yagami,  
whistling softly to himself. His right hand held a medicine box. "Aren't you  
going to…?"  
  
"Yeah, sure," he smiled at her. Kiyone marvelled at how he hid his pain. "I  
was preparing my things in Shuriken halfway when you sent the message. If  
you're satisfied, I'll be returning to my ship. Nothing to worry about."  
  
"Let me see your wounds." She stepped out of her seat over to Kova. "Come  
on, let me see them."  
  
He looked nervously at the blonde detective staring at him as Kiyone gently  
reached for his shoulder in preparation to strip the cloth off. "Kiyone? Erm…"  
  
"Relax, Kova-chan." She frowned in irritation as he half wriggled away.  
  
"Mihoshi's watching."  
  
"It's nothing she hasn't seen before." She shook her head as she saw his  
expression. "Come on, don't be a baby! You're a hundred and twenty years  
old, remember!?"  
  
"I was wondering when you'd get round to seeing that file. Mihoshi, could you  
please turn away?"  
  
Kiyone sighed, and tugged gently at his right shoulder. "Come on, get up.  
We're going to my quarters." As Kova got up, a little more delicately than was  
usual for him, Kiyone turned to Mihoshi. "Mihoshi, watch out for any changes  
in situation. Call me if anything happens."   
  
Kiyone gently guided Kova down the passageways, taking his medical box  
while shaking her head in amusement as he went "Left, right, then right, then  
left…"  
  
"Come on, surely you don't think I can't get to my own room?"  
  
"I was just refreshing my memory." He smiled. Although he seemed to be  
walking normally, his calf was hurting badly, but at least it had stopped  
bleeding, and he was careful to take bigger steps only with his other leg.  
  
As they entered the room, Kiyone helped him over to her bed.  
  
"Kiyone-chan, I'll be okay, you don't need to do this, you'll get your sheets all  
dirty."  
  
She ignored his protests and sat him down on her bed. Carefully she picked  
the tattered jacket off his left shoulder, and he winced as the cloth stuck to his  
wound. Kiyone pursed her lip in concentration, and eventually she could  
make out his bare shoulder.  
  
The wound was large and a little messy, and Kiyone could make out the  
pitted area where flesh had been consumed by laser. The wound had  
apparently been dried already, probably through chemical means, and was  
no longer bleeding, but she saw a fresh line where blood was seeping out.  
  
"A reopened wound?" She looked up and him, displeasure in her eyes.  
"When did you get this?"  
  
"Well, on board the decoy ship…"  
  
She recalled the cloth on his shoulder, earlier, how he had dropped the  
transmitter on the floor. "You were injured when you came to see me, and you  
didn't tell me." Her eyes narrowed. "And you went to fight knowing full well  
you were hurt."  
  
"I was okay, the wound had…" his voice died as he shrank back from  
Kiyone's angry face.  
  
God, not only is she fussy, she's mad!  
  
…well, it only goes to show how much she loves me.  
  
She glared at him a moment longer, then opened his medical box, cleaned the  
shoulder, and added the necessary disinfectants. Reaching for a bandage,  
she deftly wound it around his shoulder.  
  
"Tell me if it's too tight." She bound it up, and he nodded.  
  
It felt good to be fussed over, he realised.  
  
Kiyone knelt before his bloodied and torn trouser leg. He watched, almost as  
if he were another person, as she picked at them. She looked for a moment at  
the tattered rags, before gripping them firmly and tearing them apart.   
  
She stared at his shins, bloodied but apparently unscathed, and paused for a  
moment, confused.  
  
Could he be pulling my leg?  
  
"Turn around." She ordered. Hesitantly, he did so, resting his upper body on  
the bed, hoping she would not be too outraged at what she saw. What he  
knew was that it had hurt, pretty badly. He had injected anaesthetic and some  
clotting reagent as soon as he got back in Shuriken, but he sensed the blood  
was still flowing.  
  
Kiyone touched the cloth and felt it was still damp. She reached slightly  
above his knee, where the trousers were still dry, ripping it apart there. He  
winced from the pain as she carefully removed the whole piece of moist cloth  
from his flesh.  
  
"*This* is not serious!?" She snarled softly. The damage was rather bad,  
having taken out a chunk of his leg, about thirty percent of his calf muscle  
plus some flesh, and she was rather surprised he could move his lower leg at  
all. Even as she watched, blood continued oozing out of a large hole in the  
centre of it. "*This* is okay!?"  
  
"Well, I didn't exactly get a chance to see it, before I received your  
transmission."  
  
"How in the world do you even stand? Doesn't it hurt like crazy!?"   
  
"Not after I injected some pain-killers and clotting reagents." He peered back  
at her shocked and fearful face. "Geez, Kiyone-chan, is it really that bad?"  
  
She nodded, her face dark with worry. "It's still bleeding." She took out  
several bottles, disinfectants, clotting reagents, liquefied synthetic fibres and  
flesh, protective sheaths before tenderly applied them one after another to his  
leg. After about twenty minutes of effort, she felt better as she looked at the  
beige coloured mouldable sheath, covering the gory wound from her sight,  
making it seem like his leg was whole again. She checked to make sure there  
was a gap in it so if the wound continued bleeding, the blood would drip out  
of the sheath, before bandaging it and gingerly pressing it. "Does it hurt,  
Kova-chan?"  
  
He shook his head, a warm smile on his face. "It's just fine, Kiyone." Rather  
cautiously, he flexed calf his muscle. He still couldn't feel anything, but the  
movement was easier now, due to the synthetic fibres that had adhered to his  
muscles. "Really, I'm okay, though I'll probably have to inject some more  
anaesthetic soon."  
  
"You sure?" She settled on the bed beside him, looking at him, and he turned  
to face her.  
  
"Yup. After all, I have an artificially enhanced body, I'll recover quickly." He  
smiled brightly at her, then at the sheets. "Thanks, really, Kiyone-chan." He  
glanced at the somewhat dirtied and rumpled sheets. "Sorry about your bed."  
  
"It's okay," she lay herself back on the bed and stretched, relieving the  
tension in her, her lips curling at the corner at the sound of his voice and at  
the good stretch. "It isn't that bad." She opened her eyes, only to see his eyes  
fixed on hers, shining…  
  
Kiyone and Kova stared at each other. Her back was on the bed, he was  
leaning on his elbows by her side, a slight smile lightly touching on his lips  
like an ethereal wisp of the future…  
  
"Kiyone-chan…?" His fingers reached out a little.  
  
"Kova-chan… " Seemingly of its own volition, her hand stretched out until  
their fingers met and locked together. She felt him gently pull her towards.  
"Please…" She saw his eyes, seemingly lost in a surge of passion, as he  
moved over her, and his arms went around her shoulders. "No. Not now…"  
His breath was warm and soothing on her face, his eyes closing slowly, his  
lips poised over hers. Her voice became weaker, and she felt the urge to  
stroke his body. "Not right…" She opened her mouth gently to receive him.  
"Kova-chan, no…"  
  
Something flashed in the blue eyes, and they snapped open, pupils dilated.  
She could feel his body tense over hers, as he struggled to contain his  
instincts.  
  
A great surge of sheer will went through him, convulsing his body. "Gaaah!"  
With a low cry of rage, his mouth opened in a snarl of frustration, and his arm  
muscles around her bunched up tightly, before Kova forcefully pushed  
himself back off the bed and from her.   
  
He's gone!  
  
Kiyone could feel her primal self disappointed, her normal self heaving a sigh  
of relief and thankfulness, and all of her surprised. It was at least five seconds  
before she could bring herself to get up.  
  
Kova was standing before the door to the bedroom, breathing hard, his face  
averted from her. His right hand was clutching his shoulder wound, and  
Kiyone could see he was squeezing it, hard.   
  
"Kova-chan, what are you doing!?" Quickly, she ran over, tugging his right  
hand off his shoulder. He growled at her touch, and shrank further away, face  
still averted. She could see the blood seeping through the bandage she had  
just placed around his shoulder. "Kova-chan?"  
  
He spun around, almost as though he swung himself like he did the scythe,  
and she could see his face black like a thundercloud, his lips curled to reveal  
his canines in a savage snarl, his eyes stony and yet blazing with anger.  
"Damn you." His voice was soft and vehement.  
  
Kiyone took a step back, her mind reeling with fear.  
  
"Damn me." He swallowed, his face still contorted with anger. "Damn our  
accursed animal impulses." The stinging agony of self denial ached in his  
heart, marred his face, poisoned his words. Kiyone watched with fright, as his  
fist clenched and unclenched. "Why did I have to love you?"  
  
Kiyone shook her head, her own pain and doubt at his words biting deep into  
her soul. "Kova-chan, I'm sorry…" She managed, her voice trembling.  
  
"Do you know how painful it is for me!?" He growled. "If I loved anyone else,  
I'd have made her my own by now."  
  
Making love was not just a physical act for women, he knew. It deepens  
bonds almost irretrievably strong and deep, renders premature sundering not  
only merely heart wrenching, but close to death. He had seen ruthless,  
savage female space pirates who had been created through such a quirk of  
fate, and others whose careers had ended in a blaze of glory as they took on  
Kamikaze missions, not least of which were those who had fallen prey to  
Nagi.  
  
Not until our future has been assured. If we fail, if I die, I want her to remain  
human still. She *must* carry on, without me. Not consummating our love will  
make it that much easier, for her.  
  
He closed his eyes, and she watched as tears ran down his face, first a trickle,  
then a rivulet.  
  
I must have faith, in myself, in her. We *will* make it.  
  
His frame shook, on the point of collapse. Another sharp pain streaked up  
from his calf, and he collapsed forwards. Tender yet strong hands seized him,  
supported him, preventing him from falling.   
  
"Kova-chan." She whispered tenderly into his ear, taking care not to jostle his  
shoulder or calf, while her sad, glittering eyes watched the tears stream out.  
  
"Kiyone." His voice was broken and weak.  
  
"Why did you?" She asked, tears forming up in her eyes.  
  
"You said no…, and I must listen…" His voice shook. "Besides, you… mustn't  
love me… If I die, you must continue on…"  
  
"You won't die. We will make it." Her words were steeled with determination.  
"Whatever paths you choose, we'll walk them together." She unconsciously  
repeated the words he had told her in a dream.  
  
"It hurt so much, so much…"  
  
"I know. I felt it too." She gently stroked his dark blue hair. "But I'm with you  
now."  
  
He nodded a little, and leaned on her.   
  
===========================================================  
  
Darkness, darkness all about him.  
  
Everything was still, nothing moved. Even within his body, there was no change.  
  
There was no sense of time. I was like he was stuck.  
  
Maybe this was death.  
  
But then again, death was something more final, more definite, more  
conclusive. In here he just felt like he was hanging in space, suspended,  
neither dead nor alive. Heck, the hole in his chest was not even bleeding! He  
had not left his body yet, either.  
  
Of course, all these were mere observations. The nerve impulses that travelled  
up his spine and synapses could not even register, since they had no way of  
moving, or even being considered impulses. As far as this place was  
concerned, they were permanent uneven marks within Tenchi. This made  
thinking and feeling impossible.  
  
But strangely, he could think. He could observe things.  
  
He heard something speak in his mind. Something fiddled with him, and he  
felt impulses travel about certain neural pathways, before he could make out  
the words and voice.   
  
Tenchi, Washu called.  
  
Yes, he thought back.  
  
Are you in pain?  
  
No, just feeling kind of stuck.  
  
Can you use your Jurai power to heal yourself?  
  
I don't know. I've never tried. Besides, I think I'd need my whole body to do it.  
  
If I mend your wounds synthetically to prevent further blood loss and normal  
breathing, could you function?  
  
Yeah, though that's a strange way of putting it. Besides, I'm about dead, so do  
what you think is best. If you fail, well, too bad for me. Just get it done quickly,  
I want it decided. It feels so strange suspended here in the middle of nowhere.  
  
Okay, I'm going to…  
  
Wait, Washu.  
  
Yes, Tenchi?  
  
If I die, tell everyone I said I love them, and I'll miss them. And… Washu, don't  
ever tell anyone this last part unless I die, okay?  
  
Tenchi, your secrets are safe with me.  
  
Thank you. Please say to Ryoko and Aeka, I love them both very much, that I  
would have liked to marry them, and that I wish they could be friends.  
  
Fine, Tenchi.  
  
Oh, and only say that when they've got over me. I don't want them to get even  
more upset at knowing how close they really were to me.  
  
Anything else, Tenchi? Washu sounded a little sad.  
  
No, that's all. All the best to you and your quest, and may Kiyone find  
happiness, somehow.  
  
I think I'm beginning to understand that.  
  
Washu, no matter what you all do, I know you all will give your best. If the best  
fails, I rest in peace, knowing my friends have not let me down. Farewell.  
  
Farewell, Tenchi.  
  
===========================================================  
  
"What did Tenchi say, Washu?" The two girls asked together as Washu  
removed the helmet.   
  
"He said he knew we would try our best."  
  
"What if it's not good enough?" Aeka asked, her face pale, with lines of tears  
on her cheeks.  
  
"He said he would rest in peace, because we have not let him down, not in  
the least." Washu said solemnly.   
  
Ryoko gritted her teeth, forcing herself not to sob. "But it will be good  
enough, right Washu?"  
  
Washu shook her head. "I'm not very sure, but I can try. At worse I could  
extract his brain and body data, create an identical flesh shell for him, and  
place his brain within."  
  
"That won't be necessary." Aeka said solemnly. "It will work."  
  
Ryoko nodded too, sombrely. "I know it *will*." The two girls flashed a brief  
smile at each other.  
  
"Very well, here goes…" She mentally ran through the number of molecules  
she could safely put through without upsetting the Stasis block, the  
procedure and the material required for each and every layer of a human's  
chest. Normally she could remember, but this experiment was not something  
she would want to make a mistake in. Typing away at the computer, she  
quickly pulled out tubes of organic cells from the hole beside her for forming  
the necessary materials.  
  
As Washu got to work, Aeka and Ryoko sat down by each other, pensive and  
tense. They could feel each other trembling as they watched, and almost  
unconsciously, Ryoko put an arm around Aeka's shoulders, as the princess  
put hers around Ryoko's waist, while. Sitting side by side, supporting each  
other, the two ladies awaited the result.  
  
===========================================================  
  
"Stellar and Solar have both been cut off, and neither of them are moving!"  
  
"What!? How can this be?"  
  
"Well, it certainly seems the case. Any orders, sir?"  
  
"Yes, radio message back to base to contact Galaxy Police. As for us, change  
course from outside Solar System. We'll have to move in to assist Stellar and  
Solar – we can't afford losing them now."  
  
===========================================================  
  
Mihoshi sat, all alone, in the bridge of the Yagami.  
  
I wonder what Kiyone is doing with her boyfriend?   
  
She smiled as she remembered Kiyone had been taking him to her bedroom.  
  
Could they really be…  
  
She blushed at the thought, then brushed it aside.  
  
I'm so alone, Kiyone. What will I do if you leave me?  
  
She watched the stars, with the still Ryo-oh-ki and the light red enemy craft. In  
a corner was another screen, which showed the link on the decoy ship, unmoving.  
  
How lonely it is, to be like a star, all alone in the galaxy. To have thousands  
others share the same space with me, and none of them close. Only Kiyone  
and Tenchi had come close to me, and the latter only for a short while.   
  
She thought back to the night she had met Tenchi. The way he had ran by her  
side, and how when she was hurt, he never once considered leaving her  
behind, even though she was but a stranger. So different from other men she  
had known.  
  
Tenchi.  
  
She pressed some buttons and watched as Washu worked by the golden  
transparent block, while Aeka and Ryoko sat dumbly by the side back to her.  
The distance was rather great, she couldn't make Tenchi out clearly, but he  
seemed to be in some kind of sleep.  
  
How fortunate you all are, she thought to Tenchi, Aeka and Ryoko. Her lips  
pressed tight against each other as she contemplated her own dire straits.  
With a soft sob, she pressed a button and closed the view screen.   
  
Kiyone, too, was taken now. She shook her head sadly. What was she going  
to do!?  
  
A red dot appeared on the space radar.   
  
"Unidentified ship approaching from point twenty by twenty degrees of hull  
direction."  
  
Mihoshi stared at the red alert words for a moment, stunned.  
  
"KIYONE!"  
  
=== End of Chapter ===  
  
NOTES:  
Kova is in a way, an SIed character. Pls include him in your  
comments, whether I have portrayed him as a person, as a friend  
or foe, as one of the gang, and most importantly, as a human being.  
I have some pictures of him, not too good pencil drawings, if you  
wish to take a look pls mail me.  
  
I hope you have enjoyed this Fanfic as much as I have typing it.  
If there are any more grammar errors, I beg your forgiveness, as  
my sole proofreader is myself.  
  
This is my first FF, so go ahead and mail me at zyraen@yahoo.com  
with comments, especially on character portrayal, realism.  
  



	11. No Need for Recovery

Disclaimer :  
Most characters in this story are property of AIC and Pioneer.  
They are in such a situation solely because of my imagination.  
This story was written purely for fun.  
  
This FF is based on the TV Series, with some powers drawn over  
from the OAV, but with no Light Hawk Wings.  
  
This story contains no sex, so please do not expect it.  
  
Before I wrote this Fanfic, I have only read 2 Fanfics, Aikan  
Muyo and To Love & To Hate. Since then I have read some others,  
and have noted some writers have a tendency to portray some  
characters inaccurately. I hope I have not fallen into that trap.  
  
That's about it, I'm a simple soul at heart...  
  
  
DARKNESS & LIGHT - No Need For Kova  
By Zyraen  
  
CHAPTER X : No Need for Recovery  
  
The green haired detective roused herself as she heard her partner call. "I have to  
go now, Kova-chan." She quickly removed the arm he had laid over her shoulders,  
and stood up.  
  
"And I have to return to my ship soon, too." He also made to stand up as she ran  
out of the room heading for the bridge. Smiling a little to himself, the ache in his  
body diminished but still there, he opened a small portal and pulled several things  
out of it. The largest one he placed on her headrest behind her pillow, and the rest  
beneath her pillow, piled neatly on top each other. He smiled wistfully to himself,  
then the rift enlarged and he stepped through.  
  
===========================================================  
  
"What's the problem, Mihoshi?"  
  
Even as she asked, she saw the radar's red dot draw nearer, and through the glass  
in the distance Kiyone beheld a large shadow moving towards them.  
  
"Oh no."  
  
===========================================================  
  
"Solar reading Comet, over."  
  
"Solar! What happened!?"  
  
"Me and Stellar got EMP blasted. Stellar will recover an estimated ten minutes from  
now. Blast magnitude 37969591 Tera Teslawaves. Advise Comet to erect an  
effective EMP shield."  
  
"WHAT? We can't do that! Such a massive EMP blast, we need more time."  
  
"Never mind. Prototype Solar awaiting instructions. Permission to open fire, sir?"  
  
"Negative. Wait till Stellar recovers before you give yourself away. And  
remember…"  
  
"Sir?"  
  
"Shoot to kill."  
  
===========================================================  
  
Well well well. Just as I thought.  
  
He grinned to himself, as the Shuriken drew nearer to the enemy ship.   
  
It was the Syndicate all along.  
  
His finger lit on the switch to the Tachyon Ray, and paused there.  
  
I'd destroy it for sure. Yet, it was configured to annihilate one or two planets, its  
scope would be… half of the Solar System, at least. Saturn and Jupiter would be  
destroyed, while Uranus, Neptune and Pluto would sustain heavy scarring. The  
debris of the planets would pose a danger to Earth.  
  
Besides, I need to know specifically who's behind all this.  
  
Could it be?  
  
He shook the thought out of his head.  
  
Man, am I getting paranoid. Besides, I'd better get Sasami and the Blaster back first  
  
===========================================================  
  
Kiyone's face appeared on board Ryo-oh-ki.  
  
"Ryoko, Aeka, Washu!"  
  
The scientist, lost in her work, did not respond, and the two girls did not pay her  
any attention.  
  
"Synera Syndicate ship approaching, likely hostile!" Kiyone shouted again, only to  
see no reaction. "Rrrrgh….!" She growled. "WILL YOU PEOPLE LISTEN UP!!!!"  
  
Ryoko and Aeka glanced over their shoulders, both looking rather annoyed.  
  
"There's a BATTLESHIP approaching!"  
  
"Miya!" Ryo-oh-ki added, as if to confirm her words.  
  
"Ryo-oh-ki, handle it yourself. And don't jostle too much." Ryoko commanded, then  
turned away.  
  
Kiyone gritted her teeth in frustration as the transmission was cut off.  
  
"Relax, Kiyone, Ryo-oh-ki can handle it." Mihoshi said soothingly.  
  
Kiyone glared at her. "Will you just look at that thing, Mihoshi!" She pointed at the  
ship looming closer. Mihoshi stared a while longer, then her eyes widened as she  
made out the cannons and lasers peeking out from beneath the armoured surface,  
and the ring of metal about it encased it in a thick defensive shield.  
  
"Oh…" She put her finger to her mouth. "Not so easy, huh?"  
  
The two detectives watched as the hulking ship slowed to a halt by the light red  
craft, its form bristling with offensive weapons.  
  
"Incoming transmission, from Synera Syndicate Ship Comet." The Yagami  
announced, and a face flashed on the screen.  
  
"Greetings, resident officers of Earth and the Solar System." A genial, balding man  
looked at them, with a thinning beard and a toothless smile. Kiyone and Mihoshi  
stared at each other, shocked speechless. "Thank you for subduing the two rogue  
space shuttles that have been hijacked by pirates within the system. We request  
permission to board them and deal with culprits responsible for this incident. I  
hope it will not be too inconvenient."  
  
Kiyone shook her head. "It will be okay to board the ships, but the inhabitants are  
likely hostile."  
  
"Rest assured, officer, we have enough men to subdue them, and none shall  
escape the sword of justice, for be it Galaxy Police or Syndicate courts, we abide by  
the rules of the Galactic Law." His voice was soothing, not honeyed nor  
compromising, but polite, cordial and formal. "Please, we are requesting  
permission now." The voice became just a little more firm. "Diplomatically."  
  
Kiyone blinked.  
  
Could it be this ship truly is not the enemy?  
  
But Kova had said they were hunting him, they wanted the weapons…  
  
And she was going to take the word of a space pirate and spy against the word of a  
ship captain in the Syndicate forces? Plus they were being diplomatic, meaning if  
this erupted into a battle, the blame would be on her, and her only, unless they had  
initiated the attack.  
  
Desperately her mind rove through the Galactic Law articles that would lend  
enough weight to her case and enable her to reject the 'diplomatic request'. That  
those two ships were clearly theirs did not make it any better for her cause.  
  
"I am sorry, but one of the ships has delicate documents containing classified  
information, meant only for the eyes of the Galaxy Police. Besides, I have a warrant  
for the capture of the men on board."  
  
"Rest assured, we will turn over any foreign articles and captors that you may  
request for your case, detective. We only seek to recover our ships and to  
administer justice." The old man's brown eyes flashed a little warningly, though his  
tone was still cool and composed.  
  
"I am sorry, Captain, but I must insist the space ships remain under my jurisdiction."  
  
The beard twitched a little. "Very well, the Galaxy Police will contact you soon. I  
trust you will obey your Headquarters, detective. Please transmit your approval  
when you have decided." He bowed slightly. "We graciously wait on your decision."  
The transmission flickered and went out.  
  
Kiyone and Mihoshi both breathed a sigh of relief.  
  
===========================================================  
  
Washu removed the goggles, wiped her brow and caught her breath. The endless  
stream of data the computer had been chewing through stopped flowing. Running  
her fingers over the keyboard, she checked the data. "Layer check - all in. Now to  
clear the blood in his lungs…"  
  
===========================================================  
  
After some five minutes, the doors slid open and a Teranium cyborg emerged,  
holding Sasami under its arm.  
  
"Let me go!" The little princess squealed, but the cyborg paid her no attention, just  
trudged down the passage on his own. Just as they went around the corner, an  
azure scythe descended without warning from around the corner and sliced into  
the cyborg, splitting it into two halves from the head down. Sasami stared in  
surprise, as the spy stood before her, his expression tense. He was no longer  
wearing his ragged clothing, but was dressed in a night blue, almost black, body  
tight battlesuit like Ryoko's, with dashes of really thin blood red streaks  
damascened on and running down from his shoulders to his knees, like bloody  
lightning streaking out of a night sky.  
  
"Say you love Jurai or die!" Kova ordered.  
  
The little princess looked at him curiously, scratching her head, seemingly unaware  
of the metal robot forming back together beside her.  
  
He took a deep breath. "Die, spawn of Jurai!" Sasami froze with fear as he charged,  
the blue blade screaming towards her tresses.   
  
And dived over her head.  
  
"What the…?" A soulless metallic voice exclaimed. Kova was already behind her as  
a red laser whip materialised in her hand, held horizontally with both hands above  
her head to ward off his blow, then rolled to his feet with his back to the cyborg.  
The scythe twirled around him in a dazzling arc as the Sasami impostor lashed out  
futilely, then he spun around and jumped back as an explosion tore through the air  
between he and his foe. Using the blast to propel himself onward down the  
corridor, he landed catlike on his feet and ran as the smoke cleared behind him,  
fighting not to give in to the dull pain in his calf. He just managed to make it around  
another corner before another burst of crimson erupted behind from the passage  
he just left.  
  
The door to the bridge was in sight…  
  
His weapon flew in a dazzling cerulean path before him, detonating upon impact  
with the door to the bridge. Emerald beams streaked out over the broken remnants  
of the door at chest and stomach level, and he slid forwards with his body leaning  
back, like a man sliding for a base. Half a second later he rolled sideways as the  
cyborg saw through the smoke and aimed for the ground, perforating the floor just  
bare inches from his head and temple, as his scythe swept at the cyborg. The thing,  
an arm held tight around an unconscious Sasami, evaded the sweep by hurling  
itself to the side, still firing with its other arm appendage.  
  
Damned! I have no way of separating Sasami from it!  
  
He ignored the shrieks of protests from his shoulder as he spun on his upper back  
and jumped to his feet. The scythe transformed back into a silver rod as green  
beams coruscated off the surface of his blue shields, and his arms were mere blurs  
of motion protecting his body as he lunged directly towards the Solvarium cyborg.  
  
The Teranium cyborg that had just arrived in the doorway watched as he flew  
towards its ally, his shield shimmering cyan as the blasts were absorbed. It quickly  
hurled a scarlet ball of energy in his direction.  
  
Kova smiled as he glimpsed the crimson out of the corner of his eye.  
  
I pray this works.  
  
The silver rod sailed between the legs of the Solvarium cyborg and opened a  
portal behind it, before changing back into a scythe. Kova reached out for scythe  
as it returned, slicing off the cyborg's firing arm along the way, and turned to face  
the streaking ball of explosive energy.   
  
For a fraction of a split second, Terminus glimpsed Kova, body half in mid air,  
facing it and its deadly scarlet sphere, with laser shields and twirling scythe held  
out before him, protecting Sasami and himself from the blast. Behind him, there  
was Stellar, with one arm gone, the other arm gripping the Juraian princess tightly,  
and worst of all, with the back to the portal.  
  
Oh no.  
  
Terminus just registered this thought as the projectile struck Kova's shield.  
  
HAHA! The spy grinned as the force of the explosion combined with his momentum  
slammed him into the Solvarium cyborg and Sasami, hurling all three of them  
through the subspace rift.  
  
===========================================================  
  
"Huh?" Ryoko and Aeka looked around as they heard what sounded like half an  
explosion, and watched in astonishment as a cyborg, Sasami then Kova tumbled  
out into the Ryo-oh-ki's bridge.  
  
The spy, keeping his head despite the circumstances, tossed himself off Stellar  
before the cyborg's arm grew back, as the rest of its body shrunk a little in  
compensation. "Get Sasami!" He yelled to the two girls as a beam skimmed by his  
back.  
  
Washu didn't look up from her work, though her eyebrows twitched in frustration.  
  
A green laser sword stabbed at Kova's side, but he managed to fend it off. Ryoko  
appeared beside the cyborg, orange blade slashing, but the thing parried again.  
  
"Don't give it a chance, or it will hold Sasami hostage!" Kova yelled, fending off his  
weakness and pain as he and Ryoko pressed the enemy hard. His legs were  
scarred by the blast, and his body ached with fatigue and weariness, while there  
seemed to be lacerations all over his body, not to mention his wounds in his calf  
and shoulder.  
  
Aeka was standing where she had sat, wondering what to do – her force field and  
Guardians all had an area effect damage, so she dare not join the fight for fear of  
hurting her sister.   
  
"Aeka, get the Solvarium formula!" His scythe deflected a beam from the other arm  
carrying Sasami, for the palm was free to face him.  
  
"Miyaa!" Ryo-oh-ki shrilled in pain and annoyance as the laser ricocheted off and  
struck the walls of the spaceship.  
  
The princess paused for a moment, wondering which spray was which, before she  
grabbed them both.  
  
Stellar watched the sparks of cyan and yellow as it continued to parry its opponents  
attacks, its other hand occasionally flashing out beams when a foe was in sight.  
  
This will not do!! Besides, I am only required to assist Terminus, and not Satellite,  
and the princess objective has been relegated to second…  
  
Kova's scythe and shield went off as the cyborg hurled the princess at him, and the  
spy just managed to catch her with both hands as his silver rod fell to the floor.  
Both arms now freed, the cyborg struck once at Ryoko, who parried, before  
unleashing a series of blasts at the pirate. Ryoko instinctively dodged them, as  
Stellar raised a foot and kicked Kova in stomach, just under Sasami and his solar  
plexus.  
  
"Oooof!" Kova grunted as he slid away from them, due to the force of the cyborg's  
strike, his body contorting in agony.  
  
"Sasami!" Aeka streaked at the cyborg, her azure force field bearing down on the  
robot, which bent and rolled, arm making out for the rod, its only hope back to its  
ship. Kova stretched out a hand and the android cursed as the rod flew towards  
him, just before Aeka's force field struck its side, severing its upper shoulder and  
newly formed arm. Seizing her opportunity as the cyborg staggered back, Aeka  
sprayed the severed Solvarium metal with both formulas, which became inanimate.  
  
Accursed wench!  
  
The cyborg fired with its one remaining arm at Ryoko while charging towards  
Washu in an effort to capture at least one hostage. The scientist glanced up briefly,  
fury flaming in her eyes.  
  
Stellar crackled for a moment with pink energies as he struck her shield, then  
bounced off.  
  
"Hey!" Ryoko exclaimed, as the flailing cyborg slammed into Ryo-oh-ki's wall and  
vanished. "What the…!" She approached the wall.  
  
Kova looked up as Aeka tried to revive Sasami who was on his lap, although his  
stomach smarted rather badly and he had to sit down. "Ryoko, careful!"  
  
Ryoko vanished as the wall unleashed a salvo of green lasers, and the scientist  
frowned in anger or distraction as her shield shimmered rose. "Aeka! Forget  
Sasami, protect Washu!" Ryoko ordered.  
  
Already Washu's shield was weakening under the onslaught, turning a little white.  
Kova hurled his scythe at the wall as Aeka quickly ran for Washu. The surface of  
Ryo-oh-ki's inside seemed to ripple as the Solvarium cyborg made off.  
  
"Miya…!?" Ryo-oh-ki said, as the scythe arced towards the wall.. "MIYA!!"  
  
Kova quickly reached out his hand and the scythe arced back without striking  
Ryo-oh-ki.  
  
Ryoko quickly signalled a gem. "Here, Ryo-oh-ki." She quickly dumped some red  
hot peppers into it.  
  
"MIYA!" Ryo-oh-ki roared in fury and rage. "MIIIIIIYYYYAAAAAAAA!!!" Almost  
savagely.  
  
The ship's insides turned a light scarlet as its outside turned crimson.  
  
"There he is!" Ryoko shouted at the patch of dark grey against pink on the floor,  
just some ten metres from Washu and Aeka. The cyborg, realising it was found,  
quickly blasted Washu, but Aeka interposed herself between them.  
  
"Sorry again, Ryo-oh-ki." An orange plasma beam hurtled through the air and  
exploded as it struck the patch.  
  
"*MIYAA!*" Ryo-oh-ki screamed in anger and pain. "*MIYA!*"  
  
Aeka rushed in and sprayed both formulas in the air as some droplets fell down,  
then on the floor where those she had missed were coalescing together.  
  
"Whew." Kova let out a sigh of relief. The adrenaline left his body and he felt his  
hurts return to haunt him. "Man, I hurt." He massage his stomach carefully.  
  
Aeka hurried over to Sasami, while Washu continued her work as though nothing  
had happened, although her face was still very cross.  
  
===========================================================  
  
At about the time when Kova had left the false Sasami around the corner…  
  
"Section Chief!?" Kiyone and Mihoshi exclaimed in wide eyed surprise.  
  
"Yes indeed, 2nd Class Chief Inspectors Kiyone and Mihoshi." He agreed. "I have  
news for you two. The Comet has requested permission to board the disabled SSS  
shuttles, so have you agreed?"  
  
"Erm.. well.. no." Kiyone mumbled.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Princess Sasami and a weapon from the Science Academy are on board those  
shuttles. If the Synereans get their hands on those two, it could spell disaster for  
Jurai and for us Galaxy Police too." Kiyone replied.  
  
The section chief frowned, thinking. "Very well, then. I do not recommend you  
outrightly tell him about these, but just refuse, saying you have not received  
approval from HQ. As for us, we'll try to stall them."  
  
Mihoshi beamed and Kiyone smiled. "Anything else, Section Chief?"  
  
"Yes indeed. It has come to my attention a certain criminal is on the loose in the  
vicinity of the Solar System." Mihoshi looked surprised and Kiyone managed to  
hide her inner fears. "The SSS is very intent on capturing this person, and the  
Science Academy dean has verified the need to capture or kill this dangerous  
being, although he insisted no one is to know except the officers in charge of this."  
His eyes ran over the two officers before him. "His name is Kova Kashiro."  
  
Mihoshi felt sweat bead on her brow, and stared at Kiyone.   
  
Kova Kashiro…Kiyone's boyfriend… a space criminal!!  
  
To her surprise, her friend was acting as though nothing was wrong.  
  
"Yes, sir! However I have a special request - in the event this can be resolved  
peacefully, what should I do to him?"  
  
"Chief Inspector Kiyone, I have reason to believe such a compromise will be a  
pretense, a sham." The chief looked very sombre. "He is a spy and a criminal, and  
both records and reports have it that he is utterly untrustworthy. If he makes any  
pact or attempts to parley with you, be wary, officer."  
  
Kiyone's heart sank within her. "If I can somehow secure his pledge of goodwill or  
capture him, what am I to do with him?"  
  
"Report with him in custody through transmission. Then send him to the Synera  
Syndicate. They have requested he be sent to them either unconscious and  
restrained or dead. Once the Syndicate has received him, you will receive your due  
awards."  
  
"Awards?" Kiyone and Mihoshi exclaimed together.  
  
"Yes. I understand it will be a dangerous assignment, given the sophisticated  
technology the villain has at his disposal. His files also indicate an astonishingly  
high number of kills, considering he was a normal person with mediocre equipment  
at his fingertips previously. I have chosen the two of you because of your record in  
defeating Kagato and that you have allies of great resource, people like Washu and  
Tenchi, the hero of Jurai."  
  
"Could we… discuss the terms of his capture?" Kiyone pleaded, sounding a little  
nervous.  
  
"There isn't much room for discussion, anyway it can be done after you all have  
subdued the said criminal. Good luck for your assignment, Chief Inspectors. If you  
wish to request Special Forces back up, feel free to do so." The face went offline.  
  
Mihoshi regarded her partner with concern in her eyes Kiyone sank limply into her  
chair, her face distraught. "Kiyone…?"  
  
"Mihoshi." She sighed. "What am I going to do…?" Her head tilted back as her  
hands went over her eyes. "*What* am I going to do!?"  
  
Mihoshi looked oddly at her. Kiyone had been distressed before during the times  
they spent together, but she had never, ever asked Mihoshi for help.  
  
"There now, Kiyone, you'll think of something…"  
  
"This is so *stupid*!" She growled to herself. "Maybe I should just end it…"  
  
No, it wasn't so easy. Her parents both had been in the GP Special Forces, and she  
had been in every way, a GP person. To turn her back on her job was to turn her  
back on something of herself, something that she had always been…  
  
Kova then… but she had given him everything she could possibly have, and so had  
he, except themselves. Not just in terms of making love, but they both had refused  
to stop being what they were, though they would change a little to accommodate  
each others feelings, but other than that…  
  
"Mi…hoshi…?" Her voice trembled, as her head sank into her hands.  
  
"Yes, Kiyone?" Mihoshi was not feeling very happy either, but she tried her best to  
hide it and sound her usual cheerful self.  
  
"Do you… really think I should… give him up?"  
  
"I really don't know, Kiyone." She tried to keep her voice strong, for her partner's  
sake. "Even if you do give him up, could you…" Delicacy never was a strong point  
with Mihoshi, but nevertheless she searched for a delicate way to put it. "…do all  
that to him?"  
  
"Then the Galaxy Police…?"  
  
Mihoshi gave a long, deep sigh, and her expression dimmed. Fortunately Kiyone  
was not looking up, so she did not notice how much her simple question affected  
her bubbly companion. "Kiyone, if you really want to, I'm okay."  
  
Catching the poignancy in her voice, Kiyone peered up at her partner. Mihoshi  
stared back, her blue eyes melancholy.  
  
Reminds me of Kova…  
  
And with that thought, some things started to fall into place…   
  
"Mihoshi?"  
  
"I'll be fine, really…" Mihoshi smiled, rather weakly. "You… just go ahead." A pause.  
"But only if you really want to…" Mihoshi tried to blink back her tears. "…because  
you really are one of us…"  
  
Kiyone watched her partner, too touched for words, as Mihoshi's false smile finally  
gave out. "Mihoshi, you're the best." She managed at last.  
  
Mihoshi blinked. "So, are you…?"  
  
"Don't you worry about it." She stood up and hugged Mihoshi, whose eyes opened  
in surprise. "I'll work something out…" She gently whispered into her ear.  
  
"You always do, Kiyone." Mihoshi's voice choked with emotion.  
  
"Thanks." Kiyone smiled, though the pensiveness still hung heavily on her face  
as she stepped back from her partner. "And you always were the best."  
  
Mihoshi stared hard, as she saw, amidst a mixture of gratefulness and gloominess  
in Kiyone's eyes, pride, strident and clear. For her partner, for Mihoshi.  
  
"Partner." Kiyone had never thought she could mean it to Mihoshi, but somehow it  
all made sense to her now.  
  
My life never was in shambles, she realised. Not with Mihoshi around. But because  
of me. Because I thought it was. And I never knew what was truly important.  
  
You always knew it, didn't you, Mihoshi?  
  
Mihoshi continued watching Kiyone in astonishment. Kiyone whose eyes never left  
her for a moment, Kiyone whose pride in her never wavered for a moment as she  
sat back in her chair. The green haired detective smiled fondly at her partner, her  
dilemma forgotten in her moment of revelation, before gently disengaging her gaze  
from Mihoshi's bewildered one.  
  
"You know, Mihoshi, you are the best partner anyone could ever ask for."  
  
===========================================================  
  
"Message from Yagami - K3M."  
  
"Message from Yagami - K3M."  
  
Kova wearily picked himself off the floor and went over. "Ryo-oh-ki, put me in to  
Yagami."  
  
"…miya…." The cabbit sounded sulky.  
  
"Come on, you!" Ryoko ordered. "Do what the man said!"  
  
"Miya!" Ryo-oh-ki half snarled. Her insides were still glowing pink.  
  
"Whaa…? What happened?" Sasami slowly opened her eyes. She looked up into  
dazzling purple eyes filled with joy. "Aeka? Is that really you!?"  
  
Aeka nodded. "Yes, it's me, Sasami." She embraced her little sister.  
  
"Where's Tenchi?" Sasami made to get up, failing to notice Aeka's face turn dull  
with fear. "Owww… my head hurts. How did I get here?   
  
"Tenchi's… hurt, Sasami." Aeka sighed. "And that …." Space pirate? Spy?  
Criminal? "…man over there saved you." Sasami followed her finger as she pointed  
at Kova, looking tired and battle worn, beseeching Ryo-oh-ki.  
  
"Why isn't she listening?" She took in the slightly red surroundings. "What's wrong  
with Ryo-oh-ki?"  
  
"She's… a little grouchy." Ryoko added, a guilty look on her face.  
  
"Come on, my little space cabbit." Kova was trying vainly to coax the cabbit into  
action, and he sounded very tired. "Please…" he sighed. On the screen before him  
the message continued flashing.  
  
Sasami looked accusingly at Ryoko. "You did it again, didn't you?"  
  
"Who, me?" Ryoko gave a look of astonishment.  
  
"Come on, Ryo-oh-ki, put me in through to Kiyone!" Kova was trying harder.  
  
Sasami rummaged around her dress. "I always have a… ah there!" Out popped a  
familiar little pointy something. "Now, Ryo-oh-ki, want this?"  
  
"Miya!!" A gem floated over to Sasami, and Kova turned behind to look at her.  
  
"Sasami…?" The spy tried.  
  
"Uh uh, Ryo-oh-ki!" Aeka watched as her little sister, still sitting in her lap, pulled  
the carrot away from the gem. "Not until you put this nice man through to Kiyone!"  
  
Kova looked back in surprise as Kiyone's face appeared on the transmission.  
  
"Kiyone-chan?"  
  
"Kova-chan? What took you so long?" She looked in irritation.  
  
My, he looks good in that battlesuit, only…  
  
"Are you all right? Where did you get those lacerations?"   
  
"I'm fine…" He discreetly massaged his stomach, hoping Kiyone would not notice.  
  
Then she spotted the two Juraian princesses together. "Is that Sasami over  
there?"  
  
"Hi, Kiyone!" The little princess waved, as her other hand dropped the carrot into  
the gem. "What happened to Tenchi?" She asked.  
  
Aeka gently steered Sasami in Washu's direction.  
  
"Tenchi… oh no!" Sasami made out the big block and the boy within, and stood up,  
meaning to rush over, as Aeka held on to her dress.   
  
"Sasami, don't disturb Washu!" Aeka ordered sharply.  
  
Sasami did not seem to hear, but before she actually ran, she sat back into her  
sister's lap. "Ooooh…" She held her head with both hands. "Owww, I hurt…"  
  
"Sasami, are you all right?" Aeka and Kiyone asked together.  
  
Kova gave the princess he recovered a suspicious stare. "Sasami?"  
  
"Oh…" she leaned back into her sister's arms. "Aeka, it hurts…"  
  
Kova fought the illogical impulse to scream a warning to Aeka.   
  
Those androids are making me paranoid. (sorry, I couldn't resist it)  
  
With an effort, he turned his back on Sasami again. "Kiyone-chan? What is it you  
wanted to talk to me about?" He smiled a little.  
  
"You… got Sasami back?" Kiyone asked, as Mihoshi heard her and popped her  
head up over Kiyone's shoulder to see.  
  
He nodded. "I was lucky they were trying to outsmart me, and the rest I made up as I  
went along. If all three were in there with Sasami there's almost no chance I could  
get her back."  
  
"Wow!" Mihoshi laughed. "Kiyone's boyfriend's a hero! We Galaxy Police owe you  
one, Kova!" She stopped suddenly as Kova stared at her meaningfully. "Ur..erm…  
What's wrong?" She turned to face her partner, who was also glaring at her.  
"Kiyone..?"  
  
"Mihoshi!" Kiyone's teeth ground against each other. "Everyone's listening!!"  
  
"But, I…"  
  
"Relax, you two." Ryoko muttered, a little crossly. "We knew it before this, ain't big  
news anymore." She teleported opposite Washu. "Most of us are more worried  
about Tenchi." She gazed longingly at the unconscious boy in the Stasis Block, her  
yellow eyes glittering with emotion.  
  
"Well." Kova shrugged off Ryoko's comment. "What is it?"  
  
Aeka carried Sasami over and sat down nearby, their two pairs of eyes watching  
Washu, ignoring the two people conversing with each other.  
  
Kiyone released her partner from her baleful stare. "There's an SSS ship nearby.  
The captain requested that I let them board the two shuttles, which ostensibly have  
been hijacked. Can I trust him?"  
  
The spy smiled at her. "So you turned him down. How unexpected."  
  
"Of course I did," Kiyone smacked her head in irritation. "But *can* I trust him?"  
  
"I don't trust any of them." He paused a little. "But you're a Galaxy Police Officer,  
and anyway, he might be telling the truth." He thought a little again. "Describe the  
person."  
  
"A balding old man, with a genial voice and a thinning beard."  
  
Kova's eyes narrowed. "Whatever he requests, ignore him."  
  
"Anyone you know?" Kiyone probed.  
  
"Nope. Just that the SSS military has very strict rules about uniform. For one thing,  
most ship captains are between 28 to 48 years old. Secondly, no one except the  
most senior officers are supposed to appear on transmission not in uniform, and  
that includes a military cap. Besides, you don't find senior officers on board these  
ships, not unless they're on a special mission." He looked speculative, as Kiyone  
winced at the thought of what other ships could be greater than the one before  
them. "In that case, there's only two possible cases in this system. One would be  
capturing the princesses, the other one to capture me. Both makes him our  
enemy."  
  
"You know an awful lot about the military of a galactic empire you've never lived in,  
you know." Kiyone asked. "I wonder why."  
  
"Because it helps me stay alive. I need to know." He gazed at her, seeing a flicker  
of uneasiness in her eye. "Kiyone-chan, are you all right? Is there something  
troubling you?"  
  
"Kova-chan, I…" She paused, closing her eyes. "HQ contacted me with a new  
assignment." Mihoshi blanched as she wondered what would happen when her  
partner spilled the beans.  
  
Kova arched his eyebrows. "And what might that be?"  
  
"They…" Kiyone swallowed, and opened her eyes, exhaling slowly. "…ordered me  
to apprehend a space criminal." Her voice lowered. "A Kova Kashiro."  
  
There was a long silence.  
  
"After this is over, then." He said, quietly. "I'll go back to Headquarters with you."  
  
"But they'll kill you!" Kiyone exclaimed, fear showing through her voice.  
  
"Nope. If things work out the way I hope, they won't. I might be pardoned." Kova  
sounded hopeful, but Kiyone could hear the hollowness in his voice.  
  
"But what about the fifty over ship raids!?"  
  
"I hope to change that." His voice became resolute. "At the very least."  
  
"Actually, I'm supposed to deliver you to the Synera Stellar Syndicate." Kiyone  
added, her voice trembling. "Not that they won't kill you too, eventually."  
  
Kova looked up at her, his face set in certainty. "You won't do that." Kiyone  
watched as the azure pupils seemed to ripple like the surface of two deep lakes. "I  
know you won't."  
  
Kiyone bit her lip, and tears began to well up in her eyes. "Do you want me to…?"   
  
Kova closed his eyes, feeling his emotions course through him like burning wine.  
Exultation, triumph, but there was something else too…   
  
All I have to do is say it. She'll do it. I know she will.  
  
But she can't. It is part of her. It is her.  
  
She can try. Maybe it might work out…  
  
"No." He replied, his voice low and husky. "Don't do it."   
  
Once again, the pain of denying oneself streaked through his being.  
  
How many temptations will I have to turn down? He asked himself. Will they all hurt  
so badly?  
  
Kiyone stared at the view screen, where Kova's eyes watched her every  
expression of pain with his very soul peering out through those azure windows.  
  
"Kiyone-chan, you are part of them. It is, and always have been, your life." With a  
brittle, bitter smile. "Don't give up the light to walk in the dark."  
  
"Kova-chan…"  
  
"I am reaching for you, for the light." The smile grew warmer, though the  
uncertainty still lingered in his eyes. "Will you guide me? Will you be there, to shield  
me from the blinding light?"   
  
"That I will, Kova-chan…" Kiyone felt her throat constrict with emotion. "I'll be the  
first angel to welcome you."  
  
"I love you." Strangely, he couldn't remember saying that, before. It had always  
seemed an admission of weakness. He savoured the taste of the words on his lips.  
"I love you, Kiyone-chan."  
  
"I know." She smiled, tears glittering in her eyes. "And I know you always will."  
  
===========================================================  
  
Behind Kova, where the rest had gathered…  
  
"Whew, that was hard." Washu staggered back, tearing off the goggles and gasping  
in relief, wiping her brow with her free hand. Then remembering she was not alone,  
she broke out into a laughter of triumph that was a little too unnatural. "Nah, not  
really! Piece of cake!"  
  
"Is he all right?" Aeka.  
  
"Will he be fine?" Ryoko.  
  
"Tenchi looks like he's asleep."  
  
"Of course! After all, the greated scientist in the universe has mended his wound,  
hasn't she, hmm?" Washu grinned. Sasami looked a little queerly at her, wondering  
why her dolls had not popped up and commented.  
  
"Can you release him from the cell now?" Aeka asked, stroking Sasami's hair to  
comfort herself.   
  
"Erm, yeah, I guess I could." She tapped some buttons on her computer, and a bed  
formed up under the block. "Just a little more…" She fingered her Stasis bracelet,  
and the cell began to blink out of existence. "Pray hard, fellas, here goes  
nothing…"  
  
===========================================================  
  
"Ahh, at last. Stellar, report." He looked at the screen, searching for the third robot.  
"Where's Stellar? And the princess?"   
  
"I am sorry, my lord. This is Terminus." The robot spoke emotionlessly, with its  
counterpart beside it. "Stellar is gone, disabled permanently." He held up a large  
piece of Solvarium that had once been the cyborg's arm. "Princess Sasami is  
residing in Ryo-oh-ki now."  
  
"WHAT? Why did you let her get away?"  
  
"The spy Kova tricked us." The cyborg did not feel wise to let Overlord know he  
tricked specifically, it. "He opened a portal behind Stellar and rammed it and Sasami  
into Ryo-oh-ki."  
  
"How the hell… just one of your legs has a traction of over a three hundred  
newtons!!"  
  
"He… had a little help."  
  
Overlord stared at the cyborg, but it remained impassive. "What about the Tachyon  
Blaster?"  
  
"Here." Terminus reached into its chest, its hand seeming to melt, then took out  
the weapon. "A secondary objective may be faulted on, but never a major  
objective."  
  
He stared at the gun and the cyborg. "What the… what if the spy sliced you and  
destroyed the Blaster with it!?"  
  
Terminus seemed to shrug. "It was in my lower calf."  
  
"All right, prepare to pull out towards Comet, before they realise you're freed from  
the EMP. The Comet and Solar will open fire to cover you."  
  
"Time?"  
  
Overlord glanced at the view screen, which read -   
  
'Time to Absolute Archbeam Armament - 00:02:31'  
  
For the first time since he arrived in this wretched, dilapidated planetary system,  
Overlord smiled.  
  
===========================================================  
  
Gradually, ever so slowly, light began to pierce the darkness around him. The  
shadows reared up, startled, and melted away. Dimly he could make out two heads  
around him.  
  
Gold, amethyst and cerulean eyes stared down at him, but somehow his eyelids did  
not seem to be open enough yet. Violet tresses intertwined with finer blue ones  
hung down, brushing his hand gently, while on the other side, cyan locks curled  
around his upper arm and chest.  
  
"..pen…ng!"  
  
"..en…iii.."  
  
"..en…iii.."  
  
Somehow he got the impression he was not using all of his eyes, so he tried to  
open them wider, but failed. The sounds gradually got more distinct.  
  
"Tenchi..?"  
  
"Tenchi..?"  
  
If he could move his eyebrows, he would have frowned. Who was that?  
  
"Tenchi…?"  
  
"He's not moving, Washu!!" Sasami exclaimed.  
  
"Give him some more time." Washu was sitting down, looking away, her fingers  
crossed. "He'll come to fully, soon. After all his heartbeat and everything are  
steady." Ensuring that had of course been easy for her. But as for the rest…  
  
"Tenchi, move, do something, anything!" Ryoko half shouted at the figure with the  
eyelids barely open.  
  
"Ryoko! Quiet, let lord Tenchi rest! He needs time to recover."  
  
Tenchi. What a nice name, but who was that?  
  
"He's moving, his eyes are opening more!" Aeka and Ryoko shrieked in delight as  
his vision became clearer.  
  
Are they talking about me? Could it be that I am Tenchi?  
  
The features cleared, and he could make out Ryoko and Aeka's face, bright with joy,  
glittering droplets of joy on their cheeks. Standing before Aeka, Sasami seemed  
equally ecstatic, too.  
  
"Washu! You did it! Tenchi's coming to!!"  
  
Tenchi. Sounds familiar now.  
  
Why they're all looking at me like that? Am I Tenchi?  
  
Tenchi… hmm, Tenchi something…  
  
Tenchi… Masaki!   
  
Yes, that's me! Tenchi Masaki!  
  
His lips moved a little, and Ryoko's heart fluttered as she felt something move her  
curls a little. "Tenchi! You're alive!"  
  
He managed to give a weak, barely noticeable nod of agreement.  
  
"Oh, Lord Tenchi!" Aeka bent and gave him a brief, petite kiss on the cheek.   
  
Tenchi blinked, suddenly wide awake.  
  
"I'm so glad you're back!" Then realising what she had inadvertantly done, the  
princess' face turned a rosy pink.  
  
"Oooh, Aeka!!" Sasami chuckled, regarding her blushing sister and Tenchi. "My,  
Tenchi must sure like being greeted like that."  
  
Ryoko frowned but swallowed her anger so as not to upset Tenchi. "I welcome you  
back too, Tenchi." She put her hand over his and squeezed gently.  
  
Tenchi, Sasami and Aeka all stared at her in shock. Ryoko was acting the way  
Aeka should!  
  
Ryoko grinned a little and kissed Tenchi's hand, rather more gently then she  
usually did.  
  
"You know," Tenchi managed, his voice weak and soft but nevertheless amused. "I  
think the two of you are beginning to grow on one another." Sasami giggled, and  
Tenchi's soft brown eyes lighted on her. "How did you get back, Sasami?" He  
smiled gently at her.  
  
"They tell me he got me back." Sasami turned around, but to her surprise there was  
no one in front of the now empty transmission screen. "Hey, where did he go?"  
  
Tenchi reached out weakly to pat Sasami's hair, but he felt the pain in his chest,  
and lay back. "He's gone, Sasami." He smiled, almost dreamily, looking up at Aeka  
and Ryoko. "It sure feels good to see all of you again." Ryoko and Aeka beamed as  
he said that.  
  
"What's his name, Tenchi?" Sasami asked. "I didn't even get to thank him."  
  
"His name is Kova." Tenchi murmured, still looking at Aeka and Ryoko. "And he is a  
good friend of Kiyone's." His smile broadened as he thought of his next line. "If you  
want to thank him, thank Kiyone. She'll tell him for you."  
  
"Gee, thanks, Tenchi!" Sasami went over to the transmission screen.  
  
"He's one of us now, isn't he?" Tenchi asked softly. Ryoko and Aeka hesitated a  
little, and nodded. Almost to himself. "Who would have thought…?"  
  
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's all the 'Yes, Tenchi's awake!', 'Welcome back Tenchi!',  
'Tenchi's okay!' and everything." Washu grumbled as she stood up and faced them,  
hands on her hips. "What do I get for all my trouble, huh? Nothing but a pair of  
sweaty palms and a headache."  
  
"Thanks, Washu." Tenchi whispered, his head tilting slightly to look at her. "You're  
the greatest scientist there ever was, and one heck of a good friend."  
  
"Well, heh heh, after all, I am a genius!" Washu smiled, her hand running through  
her hair.  
  
"Hooray for Washu, she's the genius!" A doll announced.  
  
"Hooray for Washu, she's the greatest!" The other one.  
  
"Washu," Aeka rather reluctantly left Tenchi's side, then bowed low. "Thank you."  
  
"Yeah," Ryoko appeared beside Aeka and did the same. "That must have been  
tough on you."  
  
"Well, not really." Washu smiled winsomely. "After all, …"  
  
"She's the one and only genius Washu, and it's all just as simple as that!"  
  
"She's the one and only unfailable Washu, and it's all just a piece of cake!"  
  
"I'm the one and only greatest genius scientist ever in the entire universe, and if  
you think I have any trouble with that operation, you can think again!" She laughed  
heartily.  
  
Tenchi faced the ceiling again, and shook his head.  
  
===========================================================  
  
"Kiyone!" Sasami's face appeared on board Yagami. "Tenchi's awake now!"  
  
"That's great, Sasami," Kiyone smiled at the little princess. "How's he doing?"  
  
"He's very happy he's back and I'm back, and he told me your friend's name!"  
  
"My friend?" Kiyone blinked.  
  
"Yup, Tenchi said your friend Kova saved me!" She smiled, not noticing Kiyone's  
slight discomfiture. "He told me if I wanted to thank him I could tell you! Do tell him,  
won't you?" Kiyone nodded slightly, and she caught the look on her face, and  
giggled. "Oh, Kiyone, is he who I think he is to you?"  
  
"Well," Kiyone looked a little sheepish. "Not really."  
  
"Hmmm?" Sasami arched an eyebrow, smiling sweetly. "You sure?"  
  
"Not yet…" Kiyone smiled.  
  
"Do remember to tell him, okay, Kiyone?"  
  
"Erm… yeah, no problem." She smiled. "I'll tell him the next time I see him."  
  
"Kiyone!!" Mihoshi tugged her friend's sleeve urgently. "Something's happening!"  
  
"Huh?" Sasami watched as Kiyone turned to look to the side, at outer space, and  
saw the detective's eyes open wide with fright. "Kiyone!?"  
  
"Sasami!! Alert Ryo-oh-ki!" She shouted, not facing the viewscreen but using her  
left hand to steer Yagami to the side. "Mihoshi! Set up advanced shield system!!"  
Her fingers flew over the keyboard.  
  
Sasami turned to look at the outside. "Ryoko! Aeka! Washu!"  
  
All three turned from Tenchi to stare outside.  
  
The ring about the Comet was shedding its outside, almost like it was turning itself  
inside out rapidly, to reveal a ring of electric pulse cannons beneath, pointing out  
in just about all directions.  
  
"SHIT!" Ryoko managed. "Ryo-oh-ki, prepare evasive manuevers!"  
  
Upset though the cabbit was with her master, even Ryo-oh-ki realised  
insubordination was not an option given the current circumstances.  
  
"I hope the chilli peppers hold out for her speed…"  
  
===========================================================  
  
"Alert, alert!" The Shuriken murmured. "Alert!"  
  
"Huh?" Kova yawned and opened his eyes. "What's the matter?" His body still  
ached a little, especially his stomach, and though his shoulder was better his calf  
was beginning hurt worse as the anaesthetic wore off.  
  
"Enemy ship is preparing to open fire, electric pulse devices."  
  
"WHAT!?"  
  
"Elapsed time to fire, estimated at 1 second."  
  
===========================================================  
  
The boundless space around the Shuriken, the Comet, Ryo-oh-ki and the two SSS  
shuttles was transformed into dazzling starbursts of blinding crimson light.  
  
"Aaargh!!" Mihoshi, Kiyone, Ryoko, Aeka, Washu and Kova all exclaimed as their  
ships trembled and the light streamed in through their screens onto their bridges  
to consume their vision in dazzling brilliance. Their auto targeting systems, fuddled  
by the bombardment of electrical charge matter, just filled up with red dots.  
  
As Terminus' ship sped towards the Comet under the cover chaos created by the  
Archbeam, behind the Yagami, Solar's major cannons seethed with emerald  
energies, then blazed out full force.  
  
=== End of Chapter ===  
  
NOTES:  
Kova is in a way, an SIed character. Pls include him in your  
comments, whether I have portrayed him as a person, as a friend  
or foe, as one of the gang, and most importantly, as a human being.  
I have some pictures of him, not too good pencil drawings, if you  
wish to take a look pls mail me.  
  
I hope you have enjoyed this Fanfic as much as I have typing it.  
If there are any more grammar errors, I beg your forgiveness, as  
my sole proofreader is myself.  
  
This is my first FF, so go ahead and mail me at zyraen@yahoo.com  
with comments, especially on character portrayal, realism.  



	12. No Need to Pull the Trigger

Disclaimer :  
Most characters in this story are property of AIC and Pioneer.  
They are in such a situation solely because of my imagination.  
This story was written purely for fun.  
  
This FF is based on the TV Series, with some powers drawn over  
from the OAV, but with no Light Hawk Wings.  
  
This story contains no sex, so please do not expect it.  
  
Before I wrote this Fanfic, I have only read 2 Fanfics, Aikan  
Muyo and To Love & To Hate. Since then I have read some others,  
and have noted some writers have a tendency to portray some  
characters inaccurately. I hope I have not fallen into that trap.  
  
That's about it, I'm a simple soul at heart...  
  
  
DARKNESS & LIGHT  
By Zyraen  
  
Chapter XI : No Need to Pull the Trigger  
  
"Aaah, Kiyone!" Mihoshi cried as the Yagami quaked under an  
invisible bombardment that split through its semi-erected shield,  
ripped the booster engines and sent a huge tremor running  
through it that flung Mihoshi out of her seat. The lights in the ship  
flickered as the screen that was inundated with red dots went dead,  
though the glass viewer to space still sent pink light streaming in.  
  
"Mihoshi, I'm…!" Kiyone was sent flying as another explosion tore  
through the ship's rear and sent shockwaves down along its length  
to the bridge. "Ouch!" She exclaimed as Mihoshi rolled into her,  
kicking her on the shoulder and bumping her into the side of the  
wildly shuddering ship.  
  
"Critical hit! Critical hit!" The back-up systems wailed. "All  
personnel evacuate!"  
  
Kiyone managed to get an arm out of the tangle of bodies, reaching  
for a button labelled 'Open Escape Capsule.' "Uuungh.." The  
button was tantalisingly out of reach. Almost there…  
  
"DAMN!" The ship lurched again, tossing the bundle that was her  
and Mihoshi away from the controls, as they heard another  
explosion, this time near the midsection of the Yagami.  
  
"Time required for safe evacuation - twelve seconds." The  
computer blared.  
  
"Kiyone, do something!!" Mihoshi screamed in fear.  
  
"Get off me first!" She shouted in frustration. Gritting her teeth, she  
tossed her yo-yo towards the green button.   
  
"Escape capsule opened."   
  
As a tug on the string flicked the yo-yo back into her hands, "Come  
on!" Kiyone dragged Mihoshi up. "We've got to… wwoaaahh!" As  
Kiyone staggered and nearly fell, Mihoshi got bowled upright by  
the tremor and pulled Kiyone erect. "Whew, I…"  
  
"Countdown to safe evacuation - ten seconds."  
  
"Ooops!" Mihoshi pulled too hard and at the same time Yagami  
spun in that direction.  
  
"Nine."  
  
"Aaaaaaah!" The two detectives screamed as they tumbled in a  
heap, fortunately through the door and down the corridor. Kiyone  
had just enough sense to grab a corner just as they were about to  
roll past the right turn to the escape capsule.  
  
"Eight."  
  
"Nnngh!" Kiyone gritted her teeth as her own weight and Mihoshi's  
put the strain on her right arm and fingers. "Mihoshi, it's this way!!"  
The ceiling and floors of the ship were the walls now.  
  
"Seven."  
  
"I can't help it, Kiyone!" Mihoshi replied, trying to extricate her legs  
from the mess of their tangled bodies.  
  
"Six."  
  
"It's just there!!" Kiyone shouted, looking at the door to the capsule  
just two metres down the corridor, on the right. That it seemed to  
be directly above their heads was quite another problem. The ship  
spun and Kiyone let go, letting them roll down towards the exit.  
  
"Five."  
  
"I think we just passed it," Mihoshi pointed at the open door,  
flashing 'ESCAPE' in red. Kiyone, too flustered to reply, tossed her  
yo-yo out in a curve towards the inside of the capsule  
  
"There!" She exclaimed as the two of them dangled on the end as  
the yo-yo hooked onto the inside, with the door directly above their  
heads but turning down as the ship spun.  
  
"Four."  
  
"Kick out, Mihoshi!" Kiyone ordered.   
  
I hope this works.   
  
"Ow!" she cried as one of Mihoshi's feet struck her in the thigh. "On  
the wall!"   
  
"Oops, sorry." But they were swinging towards the door all right,  
just nice.  
  
"Three."  
  
The ship lurched again, altering their trajectory. "Aaah!" Mihoshi  
cried as she saw herself hurtling into the wall just next to the door,  
then struck, and Kiyone slammed into her from behind. "Ouch…  
that really hurts.." She managed weakly.  
  
"Two."  
  
Aargh! Kiyone thought in frustration. The open door was just out of  
reach diagonally above their heads to the right, the yo-yo dangling  
them from within.   
  
Mihoshi, ironed against the wall, didn't think very much, but her  
hands were flailing about wildly, as she tried vainly to push Kiyone  
out from in front of her. She felt something, like a blaster handle on  
Kiyone's belt, with the weapon pointing down past her partner's  
thigh into the wall of the corridor that was less than half a metre  
diagonally below their feet, like an inclined floor.  
  
"One."  
  
"Whoops!" Her finger reflexively tightened, pulling the trigger as  
the ship lurched slightly so the door was now diagonally on their  
left. Kiyone's eyes widened in fear as her blaster went off.  
  
More specifically, Kova's blaster. With the explosive enhancer.  
  
"…!!!!" They both managed as the thing's recoil pushed them both  
up by at least five centimetres, before the golden beam struck on  
the floor diagonally below. And exploded.  
  
"Ah…!" Kiyone screamed as the impact hurled her upwards into  
the capsule. "What the… OW!!" Mihoshi rammed into her, and the  
capsule door slid shut.  
  
"Zero."  
  
===============================================  
  
"NO!!" A heart rending howl of anguish split the insides of the  
Shuriken as Kova beheld a white explosion erupt through the rose  
pulses of electric charges near where the Yagami should have  
been. "KIYONE!!"  
  
The Shuriken hurtled through space towards the spot, as the  
pulses battered his craft's shield.  
  
===============================================  
  
"Mission accomplished." The cyborg announced grimly.  
  
"Splendid! Return to Comet, Solar." The Overlord stared at the  
screen.  
  
'Estimated time of Archbeam Energy Depletion - 00:01:25.'  
  
No matter. Solar was, and had always been, expendible while  
Terminus and Satellite were already within a minute's travel of the  
Comet.  
  
===============================================  
  
"MIYA!" Ryo-oh-ki screamed, spinning and twisting insanely  
through the barrage of rose pulses even as scarlet beams of  
energy tore from the Comet through their bursts at the pinkish red  
cabbit ship. Dazzles of white inundated the ship's shield under the  
continuous assault, but fortunately the Archbeam, scattered over a  
wide radius, could do only minimal damage to that, while the most  
of standard and major combat cannons of the ship fell short of their  
target due to the speed enhanced cabbit that was half-crazed with  
pain. "MIYA!!"  
  
Ryoko, with her ability to fly, Washu, with her shield and levitation,  
and Tenchi, whom Ryoko was holding, were the only people on  
board unaffected by the continuous loops and turns. Sasami and  
Aeka were holding on to the seats at the transmission screens, and  
Anako and Koneko, awakened from their sedative induced sleep,  
were mewing pitifully as the table to which they were manacled  
onto swung about the bridge chaotically.  
  
"Watch out, Sasami!" Aeka shouted as the table hurtled towards  
her sister. Sasami quickly let go as the table rammed into the  
control screen, bumping into the seat along the way and narrowly  
missing her, although letting go meant she slid a little and bumped  
lightly into the wall.  
  
"What the hell is going on!?" Ryoko shouted in frustration, staring  
out at the continual, apparently random flashes of pink energy in  
space. Tenchi, too concerned with the fates of Aeka and Sasami,  
watched, biting his teeth nervously.  
  
"Electrical pulse charge cannons. Fires spheres of pure electrical  
power that implodes at a point in space, releasing huge amounts of  
energy and light that confounds conventional ship tracking  
systems and radar." Washu replied as she steadied the table. She  
quickly rescued Anako and Koneko, stroking their fur gently.  
"There now, don't fret, you two." She held the two kittens and the  
two metal plates they were attached to in her arms.   
  
"Are Kiyone and Mihoshi all right?" Tenchi murmured, his eyes still  
anxiously regarding Aeka and Sasami, while Washu drew out a pair  
of X-Ray glasses from a dimensional hole.  
  
"I don't know, nothing's happened to us yet, and I didn't see  
anything." Ryoko answered, the spinning world outside still  
blazing rose and crimson. "Ryo-oh-ki's twirling so fast I have no  
idea where the Yagami's supposed to be."  
  
"Ah, no wonder!" Washu announced, as she adjusted the X-Ray  
glasses to the right gamma penetration depth. Embedded deep  
near the base of the spinal cords of both kittens, a chip made of  
organic synapses was implanted, in direct connection with the  
nervous system. "Shouldn't be too difficult to extract them out…"  
She removed the glasses, her face thoughtful.  
  
"Washu, are Kiyone and Mihoshi all right?" Tenchi asked. His chest  
still hurt, and he was breathing in rather gently in compensation.  
Somehow that and floating in mid air held by Ryoko seemed to  
calm him and separate him from the chaos outside and around him.  
  
"Oh. Give me a sec," Washu typed her spectral computer, heedless  
of the way Ryo-oh-ki's ceiling was becoming the walls and floor  
and back again. "Let's see… hey, I can't get a lock on the Yagami!"  
  
"Huh!?" Tenchi exclaimed, his eyes growing wide.  
  
"I hope…" Washu looked up, anxiety clouding her expression. Her  
lips moved a little. "…this doesn't mean the Yagami's gone."  
  
"GONE?" Ryoko cried. "What do you mean, GONE?"  
  
"What happened?" Aeka and Sasami asked as they heard Ryoko.  
"What's going on?" The table smashed into little bits of wood as it  
collided against Aeka's force field, and Anako and Koneko mewed  
softly, sounding both scared and yet relieved.  
  
Washu typed furiously at her terminal, using higher order searches  
for Yagami. "I can't get a trace of the craft… oh no." The search for  
GP craft specifications turned up something on her computer.  
"Ulp…" She fell silent, staring.  
  
"What is it, Washu?" Ryoko asked, as she and Tenchi peered at her  
screen. The words were mere gibberish to them, of course, but  
anyone who had been on spacecraft could hazard the lighted dots  
were supposed to denote ships.   
  
Problem was, there were at least twenty different small lighted dots  
of the same colour scattered in the lower left portion of the screen.   
  
Tenchi felt her heart skip a beat. "Kiyone, Mihoshi…?"  
  
"What's going on?" Aeka asked, her brow furrowed in irritation.  
  
"I… I'm afraid," Washu said softly, "…the Yagami's been  
destroyed."  
  
===============================================  
  
The capsule was lighted, and Mihoshi was clinging on to her. Both  
their bodies still smarting from the explosion's impact, and  
Kiyone's right leg had a long burn from where the blaster was  
placed down to her calf's side due to the laser's passage.   
  
But her thoughts were not with herself, not with her pain and her  
hurts, nor with her partner who was silent after the long bout of  
screaming when they were hurled haphazardly from the Yagami.  
  
Where is Kova? Does he know I am alive?  
  
Her imagination conjured up a series of possible situations. He  
might have attacked the Comet all by himself in an attempt to  
avenge her, and either got caught or destroyed the ship with the  
Tachyon Ray and leave this system forever.   
  
Will I ever see him again?  
  
"Kiyone, I'm scared," Mihoshi murmured.   
  
"It will be fine, Mihoshi." She smiled faintly, as Mihoshi's presence  
drove the unpleasant thoughts out of her mind, and she put a  
comforting arm around her partner.  
  
"Will they find us?"  
  
"I'm sure they will." A soft beeping sound was heard. "See, the  
distress signal is being sent out already. They'll find us."   
  
Mihoshi sighed faintly, thought whether in fear or gratitude, Kiyone  
couldn't tell. "I'm glad you're with me, Kiyone."  
  
===============================================  
  
"Shuttle link-up completed."  
  
Terminus and Satellite stepped out of the shuttle, and looked up at  
the screen where Overlord smiled almost benevolently down on  
them.  
  
"Well done, my prototypes."  
  
Terminus took the Blaster seemingly out of its chest, as Satellite  
pressed several keys on the wall nearby. A small slot opened up to  
reveal blackness, and Terminus almost carelessly tossed the  
weapon in. The Blaster was suspended in the black column for a  
moment, then accelerated upwards and vanished.  
  
Overlord grinned as he felt the weapon fly upwards into his waiting  
hands. He regarded it for a moment, taking the time to marvel at its  
compactness and its sheer destructive power, as he strolled over  
to the dais on the High Command Bridge, where the computer that  
ran the ship was located. Gently, almost reverently, he placed the  
weapon down over on a rounded stand up to his waist, with  
equally rounded funnel above. As he withdrew his hand, the top  
descended on the stand, sealing the Blaster up.  
  
'Analysing construction.'  
  
He settled down to watch the screen, his face blissfully content.  
  
'Estimated Time to Completion: Infinity.'  
  
He frowned in irritation, as he ran his fingers over some buttons.  
  
'Analysis halted.'  
  
Overlord sat back, his face pensive. Then he entered a few more  
buttons.  
  
'Copying construction detail, measured to nearest femtometer.'  
  
'Estimated Time to Completion : 02:15:39."  
  
Glancing elsewhere, he saw the Archbeam bombardment would  
wear off in about twenty seconds. Fun times always seemed to go  
by so quickly, he mused. "Attention personnel, prepare to leave  
Solar System and employ interspace travel."  
  
===============================================  
  
Kiyone!  
  
One word, one name, resonating through his being and  
consciousness.  
  
Kiyone!  
  
His tears splashed onto the glass, as he turned frantically about in  
his search.  
  
Kiyone!  
  
His eyes felt no pain as they tried to pierce the shadow light cast  
over the darkness.   
  
The Shuriken circled blindly about the site of the Yagami's grave,  
seemingly oblivious to the minor concussions as the electric  
pulses struck it, almost as though it could see through the energy  
surges in the area.  
  
Gradually, the rose light bursts lessened. Kova was dimly aware of  
scarlet beams that surged out of the comet after a somewhat  
pinkish Ryo-oh-ki, but they didn't matter now. The universe slowly  
turned back into its normal shade of black, and he blinked, trying to  
force his tears out of his eyes so he could see clearly, but it didn't  
help, they just kept on coming, flowing down his cheeks…  
  
Kiyone.  
  
He could feel himself growing cold as the darkness returned, save  
the stinging warmth of the hot tears on his face. Already the light  
had claimed her, and had faded, leaving him to the shadows again.  
  
It doesn't matter, Kiyone. Washu, the Syndicate, nothing matters  
now, other than you. You are out here, somewhere, and I will find  
you.   
  
If I ever leave this place, it will be with you, in life or in death.  
  
His blurred vision made out the scattered debris of the Yagami,  
floating forlornly in space.  
  
At about the same time he caught sight of the speck of silver blue,  
the Shuriken started beeping in response to a distress signal.  
  
His heart skipped several beats.  
  
"Kiyone…" His lips murmured, in spite himself, and the Shuriken's  
boosters revved up and rocketed off towards the object. Barely one  
seconds later, he could make out the escape capsule, alongside  
his ship, floating amidst the debris.  
  
Could she really be inside? He felt the warm glow in him, bringing  
him back to life, but despondency returned as he considered what  
if it were empty.  
  
I think I'd die.  
  
Nevertheless, he quickly shoved his silver rod into a tube before  
him, and it appeared before the tip of the Shuriken. Manuevering  
the Shuriken so as to create a portal before the capsule, he  
watched, his heart beating rapidly with anxiety and hope, as the  
capsule vanished into the darkness.  
  
===============================================  
  
"How *dare* they!" Aeka's face was firm and contorted with anger.  
"Mihoshi, Kiyone, I swear we will not rest till they are brought to pay  
for their crimes!" She stared out at the Comet, past the scarlet  
beams to the hulking ship, which drew near as Ryo-oh-ki evaded  
the attacks.  
  
"You will be avenged!" Ryoko echoed, her fist clenched tightly  
beside Tenchi's face, and her yellow eyes blazed in the darkness  
over him. "No one gets away with hurting my friends. Never." She  
seemed not to notice as the ship shuddered before another line of  
attack.  
  
"Washu?" Tenchi and Sasami asked, tears of sadness glittering  
slightly in their eyes. "Is there any hope…?"  
  
"They might be alive, if they had got to their Escape Capsule."  
Washu sighed slightly. "I haven't been able to pick up any distress  
signal, though…"   
  
Sasami hung her head sadly as she absorbed Washu's message.  
"Poor Mihoshi. Poor Kiyone." She sobbed. "I wonder how will  
Kiyone's friend will react… huh?" She looked up in surprise as a  
portal opened within the Ryo-oh-ki, and a cylinder about four  
metres long, of radius near one and a half metres and with pointed  
ends, slid gently out of it and onto the floor of Ryo-oh-ki.  
  
Before the bewildered eyes of Washu, Tenchi, Ryoko, Aeka and  
Sasami, Kova stepped out, still in his battlesuit. His mouth was  
frozen into an expression of hopeful mourning, and tears flowed  
gently out of his blank eyes down his pale face, while his black clad  
feet seemed to glide soundlessly over the floor, so gentle and  
solemn his steps were.   
  
They watched, like onlookers watching an act being played out, an  
act separate and distant from them, the sole province of this person  
who walked like he was a dead man searching for his life, not  
seeming to notice anybody else. As he stood before the capsule,  
his eyes closed and he took a deep breath, then his hand reached  
for the capsule door.  
  
Kiyone and Mihoshi blinked as the door slid open, then they saw  
who it was who had opened it.  
  
Kova stood over them, the still slightly pinkish insides of Ryo-oh-ki  
showing past his face.   
  
"Kiyone…" His voice was soft, almost broken.  
  
His hollow expression remained frigid for an instant, then he  
seemed to melt before their eyes. The icy sheen over his eyes  
thawed into the warm lakes, and the two detectives watched as the  
teardrops formed in his eyes, while his trembling lips hesitantly,  
almost delicately, formed up into a tortured, ghost of a wan smile,  
which was nevertheless beauteous.  
  
"Is that… really you?" His voice was almost inaudible as his  
hands, seeming to work independently of his mind, took Mihoshi's  
hand and pulled her out of the capsule, out from between him and  
Kiyone.  
  
Kiyone pressed her lips together, touched by his sorrow, fear and  
concern for her. "Yes, Kova-chan." She tried to smile sweetly, but  
the sight of his pain strained it greatly. "I am here." She extended  
a hand to him.  
  
"Kiyone…" he murmured, like a drowning man savouring a gulp of  
fresh air. Ever so gently, he took her hand and helped her up, as his  
smile brightened and his shimmering eyes loosed some tears of joy  
at the corner. Then she was standing upright before him, her feet  
still in the capsule, both hands in his, her eyes also moistening  
gradually as she felt her emotions overtake her.  
  
"Kova. Kova-chan." She breathed.  
  
"Kiyone-chan." He embraced her, enfolding her in his arms, as his  
fingers gently ran through her long, green hair, and his face felt the  
warmth of her breath on its side. "It really is you." Kiyone could  
hear his voice quaver. "I thought I had lost you, and now you've  
come back…"  
  
"I never left. And I never will." She whispered and gently kissed his  
neck. "Don't be sad now, I'm with you again."  
  
The onlookers saw the dark blue hair waver a little, then they  
moved away from each other, sliding their fingers down their arms  
so their hands met together again. Kova absorbed her state, then  
he suddenly swept her off her feet.  
  
"Kova-chan?"  
  
"Hush now, you're hurt." He replied, taking care not to brush the  
long burn that was oozing red along the side of your leg. "It was my  
blaster, wasn't it?" He sounded almost sad.   
  
Kiyone didn't reply.  
  
"I'll get rid of it for you." His tone turned cold. "Forever." Stepping  
past Mihoshi, while Sasami moved away before them, he gently  
placed her down before the levitating Washu. He made to pull the  
blaster out, but her fingers closed around his wrist.  
"Kiyone-chan?"  
  
"Don't, Kova-chan." She told him.  
  
"It hurt you," he snarled. "I trusted it with your life and it hurt you."  
  
"Actually, it… saved my life." Kiyone stared past him to Mihoshi,  
who was watching them, her countenance an odd mix of ecstasy  
and despondency. "Along with Mihoshi's." She waved at her  
partner who snapped out of her daze.  
  
"Kiyone?" Mihoshi looked confused at her partner who waved  
happily to her.  
  
"I owe you one, Mihoshi!"  
  
"My blaster didn't hurt you?" Kova's face was astonished.  
  
"Taking into account the fact that it saved me and Mihoshi, I think  
you should forgive it." She grinned. "I know I have." She released  
his hand from her grip.  
  
Kova's gaze went from her face to the blaster, the long scorch  
along her leg then to Mihoshi. "Washu, could you…?"  
  
"Yeah, sure, no problem," Washu half sighed, and started attending  
to Kiyone. "Ryoko, what's going on?"  
  
Ryoko looked at her, lost for a moment, then suddenly realised  
Ryo-oh-ki had stopped spinning around since Kova appeared. She turned  
around, and both she and Tenchi just saw Solar's shuttle returning  
to the Comet, which was already dimishing in size as it moved off.  
"Ryo-oh-ki, what are you doing!?" She shouted. "Open fire and  
give chase!!"  
  
"Miya." Ryo-oh-ki answered obstinately. "Miya miya." As though  
she would have the last word.  
  
"You stupid hairy furball, you think I really wanted to hurt you for  
fun!?" Ryoko cried in annoyance. "I am not a sadist! I had to do it,  
couldn't you see?"  
  
"Come on, Ryo-oh-ki." Sasami begged gently. "Please. For me?"  
  
Ryo-oh-ki seeme to think about it for a moment, then they felt the  
engines roar to life, as golden beams surged from the cabbits  
obsidian sides and streaked to the enemy craft.  
  
"That's the way, Ryo-oh-ki!" Sasami cheered. "Let's go get them!"  
Especially for what they did to me, some inner part of her soul  
added angrily.  
  
"Thank you, Mihoshi." Kova finished, and gently straightened  
himself from the very low bow.   
  
"Oh, it was nothing…" Mihoshi waved her hand, her face blushing  
with pleasure, but already Kova was making his way back to  
Kiyone's side.  
  
===============================================  
  
Damned, they were pursuing him.  
  
"Shuttle link-up completed."   
  
Why? Oh well, he could let them have it from here, but he was  
worried about that ship, the one he could not see.  
  
"Sir? Solar has returned, and we are under fire." A face announced.  
  
"Strengthen the shields, and I want full speed out of this miserable  
system."  
  
===============================================  
  
"It's not returning fire." Ryoko commented, her voice sounding  
odd. Tenchi was standing between her and Aeka, resting on their  
shoulders. "I wonder why."  
  
Some distance behind her, "Feeling better?" Kova asked, kneeling  
by Kiyone's side.  
  
"It's nothing compared to your hurts." Kiyone replied. "And now  
that you're here, it's nothing."  
  
"There, got it out!" Washu announced, her hands holding a white  
piece of cells which had been in Koneko. On the floor beside her  
feet there were the remnants of what might once have been a  
similar device, up till the point it was fried to a crisp and stepped on.  
Beside it Anako sat, watching as Washu carried out operations  
on the sedated black kitten. Almost contemptuously, the scientist  
held the fleshy portion, which flared pink for a moment before  
charring to black, then dropped it, where Anako happily  
shredded it to bits with her claws. Washu smiled a little.  
  
Saved me the fun of squishing that bit.  
  
She injected another syringe into Koneko, then loosened the  
restraints and gently placed it on the floor.  
  
"So Kiyone, how'd you like it?" Washu carelessly dunked the  
syringe into a small sized portal. "Works like a charm, doesn't it?"  
  
"As good as it was last time, Washu." Kiyone replied, flexing her  
leg, and running her hand along what looked like a mere tear in her  
GP trousers with a slight tinge of red. "You're the greatest genius in  
the whole universe."  
  
"I always knew that." Washu stared a little disapprovingly at her, for  
Kiyone was giving Kova with the look that said 'but you're the best'  
look. Anako gently licked Koneko back into reality. "You know, it's  
not healthy, the two of you." (It's a bit obvious who she said that to)  
  
"Yeah right, Professor." Kova replied archly.  
  
"Come on," Kiyone smiled, standing up with Kova beside her. "I  
ought to introduce you to the rest." She gently took him by the  
hand and led him in the general direction of Tenchi and the girls.  
  
"I… don't think I made a very good impression," he said nervously,  
as he recalled his two meetings with Tenchi. "Especially not on  
master Masaki, I think."  
  
"Then you'll just have to hope, won't you? Oh, and I believe Sasami  
has something to say to you." As they walked over, Kiyone noted  
the SSS ship on screen. "Pursuit?"  
  
Ryoko nodded.  
  
Kiyone's eyes narrowed. "I have a bone to pick with that thing which  
took down my Yagami."  
  
"Don't worry so much, Kiyone," Mihoshi commented. "It's not good  
for you."  
  
"Yeah," Kova added. Raising his voice significantly, "After all,  
we've got the greatest professor from the Science Academy with  
us, you know." Washu pricked her ears.  
  
Kiyone grinned. "Huh, a mere professor can bring my Yagami  
back? You've got to be joking."  
  
"Hey! I'm not just any run-of-the-mill professor you all can push  
around!" Washu retorted. "In case you forgot, I'm the greatest  
genius scientist in the universe, I'll have you know!"  
  
"Oh he meant you?" Kiyone let herself act a little 'Mihoshi'. "Well,  
then my Yagami?"  
  
"I can get it fixed, no problem." Washu caught the look of disbelief  
in Kova's eyes, but ignored it, mainly because it was likely feigned.  
"But only after we get my Tachyon Blaster back."  
  
Kiyone turned her attention to the Comet. "Ryo-oh-ki, how long to  
reach within eight hundred metres of that ship?"  
  
"Miyaaa mya miya."  
  
Kiyone looked expectantly at Ryoko. "Twenty-five minutes." She  
answered.  
  
"I can slow it down, if you like." Kova offered. Kiyone shook her  
head.  
  
"We'll catch up." She flexed her fingers, as though warming them  
up for a blaster session. "Besides, I need to do your intros." She  
turned to the little princess leaning half on Aeka, half on Tenchi.  
"Sasami, come over here."  
  
"Kiyone," Sasami stood up to face them. "Have you told him?"  
  
She shook her head. "I'm saving that for you." She watched as  
Sasami step over to Kova, and gave Aeka the 'stand back' hand  
sign as the older princess made to move over.  
  
"Hi, I'm Sasami, how are you?" Sasami greeted. "Thank you for  
saving me, Mr Kova."  
  
Kova's face brightened at the sight of the princess' cheery kawaii  
face. "It was worth it, little Sasami." He put his arm around Kiyone  
beside him, as though she was the one who made it all right.  
  
Who'd have thought I'd be addressing Juraian Royalty by their first  
names?  
  
"You know what?" Sasami laughed. "You two sure look good  
together! Are you both, erm…" She twiddled her index fingers  
together and giggled.  
  
"Well, you really shouldn't be thinking such things…" Kiyone  
replied.  
  
Kova just smiled. "What do you think, Sasami?"  
  
"I think…" A bright reflection, from one of the gold lasers Ryo-oh-ki  
was shooting, off the glass suddenly lighted up Kova and Kiyone's  
silhouettes. Sasami's brows knitted together as she tried to recall.  
  
Kova looked in surprise as Sasami froze, her mouth hanging open.  
"Sasami?"  
  
"You were in Kiyone's room that night, weren't you?" Sasami  
shrank back, as she recalled the cold shadow that had seized  
Tenchi by the throat, about the throttle the life out of him.  
  
Kova bowed his head, nodding.  
  
This couldn't be right! Sasami thought. Why would he want to hurt  
Tenchi? What was he doing there? Why… did he save me?  
  
"Kiyone was very upset that night." Sasami murmured. "Was it  
because of you?"  
  
Kiyone and Kova gave her that grave look that told her she'd hit the  
nail spot on.  
  
"But why…?" She remembered the way Kova had kept vigil over  
Kiyone, not moving, not speaking, not resting. She recalled how  
they had spoken to each other after she had been rescued, and  
most of all, the way they had hugged each other after Kiyone had  
emerged from the capsule. "You like each other, don't you?" She  
read the answer off their faces. "Then why was Kiyone so…"  
  
Kiyone gave a soft sigh. "It's not really something we'd like to say,  
Sasami."  
  
"I see." Sasami stepped back towards Aeka, then stopped and  
turned to look hard at them. "But do you want to know what I really  
see?"  
  
"Pray tell." Kova asked softly, but Sasami had already started.  
  
"I see two people who like each other very, very, very much." She  
looked stern, almost regal, as though she was issuing a verdict.  
"And you should never stop liking each other just because of other  
things that people say or do."  
  
Kiyone choked with emotions, as Kova, his expression kindly yet  
sorrowful, stooped down so his head was level with Sasami's.  
"You'll be the wisest and most beautiful princess there has ever  
been, Sasami." Eyes glittering, he held out his arms for her.  
  
Sasami hesitated a moment, but she caught the look on his face,  
the simple expression of kindness tinged with melancholy. Then  
she had ran into his arms, and she felt her hands go around his  
neck, as he lifted her up and twirled her around in the air, sending  
her blue ponytails dancing.  
  
"Oh, Sasami, Sasami!" she heard him murmur, his voice lost,  
saddened but somehow comforted, like a benighted soul saying a  
prayer. "If only all who lived were as you."  
  
Aeka, her eyes bulging in amazement, made to move over, but  
Tenchi laid a hand on her shoulder and shook his head.  
  
Gently, Kova set Sasami down. Though she felt a little light-headed  
and was breathing somewhat faster than normal, she could see his  
eyes were filling with glistening drops, as he regarded her. "You  
have spoken well and true." His hand brushed some blue locks off  
over her eyes. "These thanks of yours are more than enough for  
the services I have rendered."  
  
In Kiyone mind's eye, she could see him in the distance, playing in  
the sun kissed fields, the sounds and forms of children running  
and sitting around him in the grass, as he was hugging them,  
tossing them high in the air, giving them rides on his shoulders, his  
laughter ringing in delight with their tinkling ones. But as she drew  
near, the clouds gathered and the sunlight dimmed, while the fields  
darkened as the forms of the little ones melted away, before the  
vision dissipated like the morning mist.  
  
Sasami stepped back, her head still reeling, not merely due to the  
whirl, but also with surprise. Kova stood up slowly and turned to  
Kiyone, who seemed to emerge from her reverie.  
  
"Kiyone-chan?" His eyes seemed to read her mind, though his  
smile was full of mirth. "We will obey her Highness, right?"  
  
She nodded, as his infectious beam spread. "Always." And gave  
Sasami a wink.  
  
Sasami blinked in surprise, then managed. "Gee. That was fun."  
Pouting her mouth, she turned back to Aeka. "Aeka! How come you  
never treat me like that?"  
  
"Well, er…" Aeka tried. "It's not very right, after all you're quite old  
enough now…"  
  
"Well, it's not very right for someone I know to run away from the  
palace, huh?" She affixed Aeka with a meaningful stare. The older  
princess grinned sheepishly, at a loss for words.  
  
"Well," Ryoko turned over, looking mischievously at Sasami. "I  
could take you to lots of fun places, you know…"   
  
Tenchi gulped as he imagined Ryoko taking Sasami to soar up in  
the sky before doing the loop the loop. "Erm, Ryoko…"   
  
"Oh, Ryoko, that would be great!" Sasami clapped her hands  
together. "When can we go?"  
  
"Sometime soon, after we settle that ship. And as for you, Tenchi,"  
Ryoko gently twiddled her finger into Tenchi's unhurt left chest, "I  
have something *very* special lined up." Tenchi's face turned  
beetroot red and Ryoko laughed.   
  
Aeka seethed with annoyance. *Both* space pirates had scored on  
her sister against her, and now Ryoko was flirting with Tenchi just  
beside her. "Ryoko! How dare you…"  
  
Kiyone quickly pushed Kova over in front of the three of them,  
almost into Tenchi.  
  
"Oh, hello!" He managed nervously, as four pairs of eyes affixed on  
him. Quickly turning to Kiyone, as if asking for some kind of  
support, he just saw her shake her head at him, and take two steps  
back, a smile playing along her lips.  
  
"Hi, Kova," Tenchi responded, holding out his hand, partly out of  
genuine goodwill, and partly also to defuse the potentially  
explosive situation. "I believe you've met most of us, haven't you?"  
  
Seeing Tenchi greet him thus, Kiyone had looked away, searching  
for her partner. Mihoshi seemed to have been uncharacteristically  
unobtrusive since the time they got on Ryo-oh-ki. She finally saw  
her sitting a distance beside Washu, watching the white and black  
ball of fur, mainly Anako and Koneko, barrel to and fro before her.  
  
That's strange. Mihoshi usually laughs happily and picks the  
kittens up if they make her glad.  
  
"Mihoshi?" Kiyone asked, moving over beside her.  
  
"Oh, it's you, Kiyone." Mihoshi mumbled. She didn't sound very  
happy, despite the fact that her partner had returned to her side,  
and that Koneko was bouncing around as Anako tried to hide  
behind Mihoshi's back.  
  
Kiyone sat down by her seemingly despondent partner. Mihoshi's  
eyes were fixed on Koneko as it gambolled behind her, then they  
switched to the white kitten as it bounced from behind onto her lap.  
"Mihoshi? Are you all right?"  
  
"I'm fine." Mihoshi managed to turn and give a weak smile. "All the  
best to you and Kova, Kiyone." She whispered.  
  
"Mihoshi, I…" She sighed. "You're my partner, Mihoshi."  
  
Just a few days ago, Kiyone could never have imagined any  
situation that would make her say anything of the kind to Mihoshi.  
  
"About Kova?"  
  
"Just because I love him doesn't mean I don't want you as a  
partner, Mihoshi."  
  
Mihoshi remained silent, her hand gently stroking Koneko, who  
was staring at Anako as the white kitten hid behind Kiyone's side.  
  
Well, that was an improvement of sorts.  
  
Taking a deep breath, Kiyone prepared to give her best.  
  
===============================================  
  
Meanwhile, nearer the front of Ryo-oh-ki…  
  
"I would like to apologise for the way I've treated you, master  
Masaki."  
  
"Let's not talk about apologies. I know why you did things that  
way." Tenchi smiled warmly. "I can understand." He swivelled his  
pupils from side to side, at Aeka and Ryoko.  
  
Kova caught his drift. "Your understanding is profound, master  
Masaki." His blue eyes twinkled with pleasure as he mentally  
imagined all sorts of trouble Aeka and Ryoko might have gotten  
Tenchi into. "Might you be this little queen's sensei?" Sasami  
smiled sweetly as Kova casually tousled her blue hair, to the slight  
displeasure of Aeka.  
  
"Nah," Tenchi shook his head. "I'm not qualified. Sasami's teacher  
is no one save herself." He smiled kindly at the little princess, who  
inclined her face bashfully at his praise. "And you can call me  
Tenchi." He glanced at Aeka's somewhat annoyed face. "Aeka,  
wish to add anything?"  
  
"I…" The Juraian princess bit back her emotions, realising Tenchi's  
intention, not to mention Sasami and Kova, both faces sunny side  
up at her. "…would like to thank you for saving my sister."  
  
"Sasami has given me more than enough reward for that, right?"  
  
"That's right, Aeka!" Sasami shrilled. "The two of us are friends  
now!"  
  
Kova nodded. "I think I…" Almost faster than thought, his hands  
reached out… "Catch!"  
  
"Wheee!!" Sasami cheered as she sailed through the air towards  
Aeka, cerulean locks bouncing.  
  
The older princess' eyes opened wide as she stepped back, away  
from supporting Tenchi, and caught Sasami with both arms. "Kova!  
Sasami! What do you think you're doing?" She growled.  
  
"I'm having fun!" Sasami replied, chuckling, looking up at her  
sister's expression.  
  
Kova shook his head, more than a little bemused. "And I was giving  
your sister a little pleasure." His eyes seemed to burn into Aeka's,  
almost like a challenge. "Mayhap that is not too much too ask for,  
Your Highness?"  
  
Aeka placed Sasami down, her mask sliding smoothly down over  
her face and concealing her emotions.  
  
This man plays like a Juraian Council Member, only he does so in  
deeds as well as words.  
  
"Indeed it is not." She replied stiffly. "But I do request you not lay  
your hands so casually on my sister." Sasami frowned, giving her  
sister an accusing look.  
  
Kova watched Aeka slyly. "Drop the Royal Highness act, Aeka. I  
might once have been your subject, but no longer." His eyes  
flashed. "Here, we are all equals, in every way. If you give yourself  
airs and a mask of ice, be prepared to lose your friends."  
  
Aeka felt doubt surge up from within her, as she caught Sasami's  
eye. Turning to Tenchi for support, she saw he was standing on his  
own again, rather than resting on the two girls, although he still  
seemed a little unsteady on his feet. But when their eyes met, there  
could be no doubt. "Tenchi…?"  
  
"I… tried hard to tell you that, Aeka. I tried, I really did."  
  
Aeka bit her lip, hard, as incredulity overtook her.  
  
Tenchi's siding with them rather than me!? That can't be…  
  
Tenchi felt his heart constrict painfully, as he saw Aeka's mask  
crack apart, ad she was no longer a princess, regal, proud or  
overbearing, but merely a girl, forlorn, weak and in need of support,  
while her violet eyes bridled and shrank from his apparent betrayal.  
  
"Aeka, I didn't mean to blame you, just that, I do so wish that you  
could…" Tenchi wet his lips, as Ryoko looked on over his  
shoulder, her amber eyes a little disappointed. "…just try to be a bit  
more like yourself. With us, there's no need to be princess all the  
time."  
  
Aeka still looked uncertain. "Do you still…"  
  
"Or course I love you," Tenchi replied, and Kova mentally shook  
his head as he saw Ryoko wince behind. "It has always been this  
way, for you and Ryoko alike." Sasami nodded, but she too could  
see that some damage had already been done. "And I would prefer  
it if you could…" He grasped for a phrase, then he remembered  
when he had first met Aeka. "…treat it like a *real* vacation, this  
time."  
  
Aeka's expression blossomed back as she recalled the day she had  
met Tenchi for the first time, about when they had gone into the  
forest. "Thank you, Lord Tenchi. I'll try."  
  
"And how are you, Ryoko?" Kova moved in, before the space pirate  
could start to hammer on Tenchi.  
  
"So, you've heard of me." Her eyes narrowed. "Where're you  
from?" She could not help being a little curt, Tenchi's words still  
stung, and besides, her heart still cried out when recollecting how  
he had split 'Tenchi' apart. "If you're as good as you are, I probably  
would have heard of you too."  
  
"I make it a point to be discreet about my comings and goings," he  
replied. "Anyway, I don't warrant special attention. They consider  
me just an ordinary pirate, unlike your own gifted self."  
  
That remark would have caused Ryoko of old to smirk with pride,  
but somehow, she didn't quite feel that now. Also, there was  
something suspicious about the way he was so deprecating while  
she was so aware of his combat capabilities.  
  
Kova sighed as her face hardened. Another intro down the drain.  
  
"Look, Ryoko. I don't mean any of you any harm, and you know  
that's the truth of it." As if to enforce his point, Sasami stood beside  
him, facing Ryoko. "If I did, there wouldn't be an Earth to speak of  
now. Not to mention minus two Galaxy Police Officers. Why can't  
you all be like this princess Sasami here, and trust me? Even Tenchi  
has, after I nearly throttled him twice and tried to cut his head open."  
  
Ryoko bowed her head a little. "Actually, after you saved Sasami,  
we all have trusted you, at least enough to let you on our ship."  
  
There was silence for a moment. "Well, I guess I should be satisfied  
with that, I suppose." Kova replied, his tone resentful. "I'll be with  
Kiyone if you all are looking for me."  
  
"No!" Said a voice. Kova, who was about to walk away, and Ryoko,  
blinked and stared down at the princess by Kova's side, her face  
stern and her bearing queenly. "That is *not* enough!" Ryoko and  
Kova suddenly felt like they were two little kids receiving a lecture.  
"What you all need to be is friends. That's what Kiyone wanted."  
Sasami folded her hands before her chest. "And I'm not settling for  
any less either." Aeka watched Sasami with astonishment as she  
eyed her pugnaciously too. "And that goes for you too, sis!"  
  
"Sasami's right." Tenchi nodded. "He hasn't let us down since he  
met us, and we'll be working together against whatever's waiting  
for us."  
  
"Oh, all right." Aeka walked over. "But you must understand, mister  
Kova, I can't say I am used to befriending people who stretch the  
law."  
  
"Oh, trust me, Aeka, he can tell that." Ryoko retorted. Kova's eyes  
twinkled a little, but he refrained from commenting.  
  
"Thank you, your Highness," his lips curled into a smile. Aeka  
blinked.  
  
Suddenly he did not look at all like a criminal.  
  
"You do me much honour." He bowed in a manner and bearing  
akin to a Juraian minister.  
  
Aeka stared strangely at Kova. "Hey, where did you learn to do  
that?"  
  
"Jurai, of course."  
  
"I don't remember you." Aeka commented. "What were you doing  
on Jurai?"  
  
"Oh, nothing much, just serving as a Secretary some whereabouts  
your government. Besides, I was a spy, so I should be good at  
behaving appropriately as and when the situation calls for it," he  
grinned. "I take it I can trust all of you with my life?"  
  
"Anything for a friend of Tenchi's," Ryoko replied. "Not to mention  
a fellow space pirate."  
  
"I'd be less than a person to not repay the debt of honour I owe you  
for saving Sasami," Aeka responded. "And after all, you seemed to  
be liked by both Kiyone and Lord Tenchi."  
  
"And me!" Sasami reminded.  
  
"And I shall give you my best," Kova smiled. "So, how long to the  
Comet?"  
  
"Miyaa, miya." Went the cabbit.  
  
"Ten minutes." Ryoko answered.  
  
Aeka glanced at Tenchi. "Are you sure you'll be fine, Tenchi?"  
  
He nodded. "After all, I'm standing on my own now." He felt around  
his battlesuit for a moment. "Say, where's my sword?"  
  
"Washu, I believe." Kova thought back to what had happened, and  
how his calf and shoulder still hurt, but it was much better now  
thanks to the growth injections. Almost casually, he glanced at the  
viewscreen. "I see we're going to pass the last planet soon." The  
Comet was in the distance, but the gap was closing.Turning  
around, he saw Mihoshi and Kiyone lost in conversation, while  
Tenchi flexed his arm, and the cerulean blade blazed out of the  
handle. "How is it, Tenchi?"  
  
"Fine, except my chest still hurts a little," he glanced at the  
red-headed scientist, who was regarding him and Kova rather  
intensely. "Coming, Washu?"  
  
"Of course I'll have to, Tenchi," she sounded a little tart. "It's my  
invention, after all." She walked by his side back to Kova.   
  
"Professor?" His eyes regarded her uncertainly.  
  
"You're doing me a favour, Kashiro. I'll have to trust you," Washu  
seemed to relent. "Although, the rest of our account will have to be  
settled some other time."  
  
Kova beamed. "Yes, Professor. And don't forget to get the formulas  
for the cyborgs."  
  
"Don't worry, I'll settle it."  
  
===============================================  
  
"We are clear of the Solar System, entering deep space. Ryo-oh-ki  
is still in pursuit, drawing close to us. Estimated time of  
interception, six minutes."  
  
Overlord nodded. Now was the time, when they least expected it.  
They probably thought his ship was fleeing after getting what he  
wanted, but…  
  
===============================================  
  
"Look!" Sasami exclaimed, a sliver of fear running through her  
voice. Turning, the occupants of Ryo-oh-ki, excepting Kiyone and  
Mihoshi who were a good distance from the front, saw the ring  
around the Comet facing them pulse a deep scarlet shade. But  
there didn't seem to be any cannons on the section, while  
Ryo-oh-ki's lasers ploughed ineffectually into the shield over it.  
  
"Ono." Washu whispered as she realised what she was looking at.  
The pulsing red section, almost half the size of Ryo-oh-ki, was  
being slowly split off from the rest of the ring. "RYO-OH-KI!!"   
  
Faster than thought, the crimson partition broke off and streaked  
towards their ship, as it turned over to unveil an entire fusillade of  
ion batteries, all the while drawing closer at an unbelievable rate.  
After all, Ryo-oh-ki was going full steam ahead.  
  
"Take cover!" Tenchi yelled as he threw himself over to shelter  
Aeka and Ryoko. Kova gripped Sasami before his chest as he  
leaped over to Kiyone, who upon discerning danger had crouched  
down and pulled Mihoshi down before her, as Washu closed her  
eyes expectantly.  
  
Ryo-oh-ki shrieked in agony as the barrage tore into her obsidian  
form, and just managed to swerve away and avoid the brunt of the  
assault, but the red lights of the lasers blazed through into the  
bridge, blinding everyone as the whole ship quivered.  
  
A heartbeat later, the rapidly firing section of the ring curved into  
Ryo-oh-ki like a boomerang. Fortunately for them, the effect of the  
peppers Ryoko had fed her had not worn off completely.  
  
The battery bombardment shattered the part of Ryo-oh-ki's shield  
facing it, before the cabbit slid to the side again. There the blood  
red metal arc of deadly cannons collided obliquely with her, its  
extreme edge just scraping along the surface of the shield, and  
reacted according to its design.  
  
===============================================  
  
Overlord grinned at the viewscreen to the rear of the ship, as  
almost half of the cabbit was engulfed by the blast radius that the  
projectile's explosion unleashed.  
  
"Execute interspace console."  
  
===============================================  
  
"Damned!" Washu shrieked as a shard of crimson tore through the  
screen of red, blue and yellow flashes from Ryo-oh-ki's shield from  
the explosion, smashing a two by one metre hole in the transparent  
screen before slamming into her pink shield and hurling her to the  
back of the bridge.  
  
"Help me!" Tenchi felt himself slide back and brought his sword  
down, digging into the floor of the spaceship, to prevent himself  
from being sucked back towards the opening.  
  
"Tenchi!" Aeka seized his wrists, fighting against the vacuum  
forces that sought to drag him into the infinite depths of deep  
space. "Ryoko, do something!"  
  
"I'm trying!" Ryoko retorted, her voice acid, as she clung on to her  
sword with one hand and the other to Aeka's waist. "Can't  
concentrate!"  
  
Behind them, Kova felt himself being tugged backwards, and dug  
his scythe into the floor with his right hand. "Aaaaaaa…" Sasami  
cried as she slid towards him, and he clenched his teeth as he felt  
her bowl into his chest. By bringing his body tight on her and his  
knees down to the floor, he managed to arrest her movement.  
"Kiyone-chan!" Kova gripped Kiyone's shoulder with his left hand  
as she slid back, but it was unnecessary as her yo-yo was already  
on its way to its destination.  
  
"No problem," Kiyone didn't even look at him or see her yo-yo latch  
neatly around a handle on the distant wall of Ryo-oh-ki. "Mihoshi!"  
She managed to grab her partner's calf as she was sucked  
headfirst and backwards past her.  
  
"Oh, thanks, Kiyone!" Mihoshi clung on to Kiyone's feet, next to  
Kova's shoulder and Sasami.  
  
"Meeeww!!" Something white and furry bounced onto Mihoshi's  
legs, and she reflexively caught Anako out of the air.  
  
"Ooh, it's you." Mihoshi smiled at the distraught kitten, and cuddled  
it close to her chest, even though she was technically upside down  
as compared to the rest of the people. Kiyone shook her head.  
  
Meanwhile Sasami's hand shot out from under Kova's left shoulder  
and rescued Koneko from a rapid transit to outer space.  
"You're lucky," she mumured, her fingers clinging tenaciously on  
the nape of the black kitten's neck. Koneko could only mew timidly,  
feline eyes staring worriedly at the crack in the glass.  
  
"Here goes…" Ryoko murmured, teleporting the herself, Aeka and  
Tenchi to the corridor leading to the bridge, before the drag forced  
them back down to the bridge. Tenchi and Ryoko dug their blades  
perpendicularly into the side of the wall and hung on, as Aeka  
clung to the sides of the floor and to the other two.  
  
Meantime, Washu was surveying the scene with her typical efficacy  
and detachedness, probably because she had the most secure  
holding - her left hand, which was gripping a handle on the wall,  
was encased in a goldish, transparent stasis block of dimensions  
about half a metre, so it was utterly effortless for her to remain  
where she was. On the far wall behind her, the chunk of debris from  
the Comet had embedded itself deep in.  
  
"Let's see now." She looked at the dimensions of the gap, then  
stared at the slightly larger door and doorframe flat on the ground,  
noting that the door was of almost negligible weight compared to  
the weight the glass could withstand, broken though it was…  
  
"Come on…" Her short legs reached out, trying to kick the table off  
the surface so its friction would reduce and it would get sucked  
down to the screen. After a few futile seconds, she raised a hand,  
as her mind unconsciously ran through elementary calculations in  
a fraction of a second.  
  
Trajectory straight, angle requirement 36.4 degrees, lift 5 newtons,  
door interior face out, torque 10 newtons per metre…   
  
The pink energy blast left her hands and knocked the side of the  
door, causing it to spin around and flip open, facing the screen,  
before the suction brought it down, just missing Kiyone, Mihoshi  
and Anako, before just filling out the hole in glass.  
  
The vacuum pull stopped.  
  
"Nice work, professor," Kova gave her a thumbs up as he got up,  
helping Sasami up as he did so.  
  
"Ryo-oh-ki," Ryoko cried as she, Tenchi and Aeka entered the  
room. "Where's the Comet?"  
  
"Miya." The cabbit's voice was almost inaudible and in pain.  
  
"Washu?" Aeka asked.  
  
The scientist got up as the stasis block around her left hand  
vanished, and the computer appeared. "Let's see…hmm, that's  
quite a good turn of speed. Smart chap, the guy in charge."  
  
"Washu…" Kiyone growled. "Where is it?"  
  
"Dunno, let's just say out of our reach." Her red eyes seemed to  
lose their vibrant colour. "Current speed four hundred points per  
second, over four times Ryo-oh-ki's maximum speed, coordinates  
about twenty light weeks from us now." (1400 pts = 1 light week)  
  
"We'll see about that…" they heard Kova murmur, but when they  
turned around, he had gone…  
  
Twenty points from the battered form of Ryo-oh-ki, there was a brief  
glimpse of silver as the Shuriken flashed for an instant, and was  
gone.  
  
===============================================  
  
"Well, I think this calls for a celebration of sorts." Overlord smiled,  
as he waved his glass of sake around to no one in particular. Most  
of his crew were elsewhere working at the controls, while Satellite,  
Terminus and Solar sat opposite him, impassive and inanimate.  
  
'Estimated Time to Completion : 01:37:03.'  
  
Something struck, and even deep within the hulking Comet,  
Overlord could feel the ship tremble. "What the…?"  
  
A face of a pilot appeared. "Sir, the boosters have ceased firing, the  
cannons are uncharged. Our craft appears immobile." He sweated  
nervously.  
  
"What?"  
  
"EMP pulse, sir. Estimated time to full system recovery is infinity,  
sir."  
  
"WHY!?"  
  
"There seems to be a continuous field being exerted in the area  
around us, sir. Only the back up generators and the limited  
shielding you requested we strengthen earlier have prevented our  
computer systems and internal transmissions from breaking  
down."  
  
He breathed a sigh of relief as he saw the 'Estimated Time to  
Completion' drop by another few seconds. He entered some  
commands, ordering the ship's computer to alter all its memory  
settings, short of security controls, into copying the construct of  
the Tachyon Blaster.   
  
'Estimated Time to Completion : 00:43:29'  
  
He smiled at the latest change on the screen, and inquired his crew  
again."Interior defenses?"  
  
"Automated turrets are down. We only have the guardsmen and  
surveillance cameras."  
  
Oh yes, his reserves. "Release the men in the animation  
suspension bunks, tell their commander I want every section of the  
ship covered." He was a careful man, and he had specially  
requested an entire battalion of four hundred elite Synerean  
Marines to come on this mission. "Oh, and that there will be two  
cyborgs joining them. That will be all."  
  
"Yes sir." The operator signed out.  
  
Overlord looked over at Solar and Terminus. "You two, stick  
together."  
  
Terminus stood up, his gleaming surface rippling and settling into  
the form of a marine armed with two laser blasters. Solar moved  
over, and melted into Terminus' form, and the marine was covered  
with a greyish body armour, that ran down to the floor. The marine  
saluted smartly, and as he left the control room, Overlord smiled at  
the slight rippling metal over the floor, an extension of Solar.  
  
"Now, Satellite, I would like you to pay close attention to what I  
say…"  
  
===============================================  
  
"Come on, can't you go any faster?" Ryoko grumbled.  
  
"Ryoko!" Sasami half shouted at her. "Ryo-oh-ki's hurt, can't you  
go easy on her?"  
  
"Are we drawing closer, Washu?" Tenchi asked, peering over  
Washu's shoulder, with Aeka behind him. Mihoshi was watching  
the screen on the other side.  
  
"Yes, so it seems." Washu replied. "We are now only fifteen light  
weeks from the ship, and are travelling at a speed of twenty points  
per second. The Comet is not moving at all. Estimated time to  
interception, 17.5 minutes." She turned to Kiyone, staring through  
the glass into space with Sasami by her side, sitting some distance  
from the door and the sealed hole. "Are you sure about this?"  
  
"He means well, Washu." Kiyone didn't bother to turn around.  
  
"I know that, Kiyone, but are you sure he means to do this?"  
  
"He means to help us. And doing this is what I would do in his  
place. He wouldn't leave us now, and surely you didn't think the  
Comet would go stop by itself, did you?"  
  
"'Course not," Washu managed to stop herself from adding, 'I'm  
the greatest genius scientist in the universe!' Somehow that phrase  
didn't seem so right at this moment, especially with regards to the  
person she was ostensibly hunting but who was apparently doing  
the best he could to help her.  
  
Tenchi and Mihoshi stepped away as the tracer screen cleared  
when Washu continued typing away at more buttons. After three or  
four minutes of parameter and command inputs, the door portal fell  
back flat on the floor, to reveal a repaired panel.  
  
"Miya." Ryo-oh-ki commented, seemingly a little grateful, but the  
voice was still weak and strained.  
  
"Poor Ryo-oh-ki," Sasami sounded mournful, as beside her,  
Kiyone fingered Kova's blaster restlessly.  
  
===============================================  
  
Quite an interval later…  
  
"There!" Ryoko's plasma beam smashed the camera into twisted  
bits of molten metal.  
  
"No, you idiot!!" Washu screamed angrily as she emerged from the  
door portal.  
  
"Huh, why?" Ryoko asked, while Tenchi and Aeka peered  
curiously at Washu.  
  
"What's that?" Sasami asked as she appeared, followed by Mihoshi  
and Kiyone, as their ears pricked up to the sounds of a distant  
ringing bell.  
  
"That's why!" Washu growled.  
  
"It's no big deal, Washu, probably nothing me and Tenchi can't  
handle."  
  
"In case you forgot," Aeka retorted. "I'm with Lord Tenchi too. And  
he needs some rest from his wound."  
  
"Erm, that's not really the case, I feel fine." Tenchi replied  
nervously. "Although I would much rather if that alarm hadn't gone  
off, and we didn't meet anybody."  
  
"Let's move on!" Kiyone answered, already several metres down  
the corridor. "Best to get away from here before the guards arrive."  
  
"Give us a moment, Kiyone!" Mihoshi called as Anako and Koneko  
bounced through the door. "Ooh, you two cuties…" Anako leaped  
into Mihoshi's open hands as Koneko cuddled against Sasami.  
However, the princess' attention was directed to the door.  
  
"There you are," Sasami told the grey furred ball that limped slowly  
through the portal. "Are you all right?"  
  
"Miya." Ryo-oh-ki answered pitifully. Her grey fur was scorched a  
dark black, her ears rent in a few places, some plasters (cartoon  
style, don't ask me how she got them ^_^) on her body where fur  
was missing in places, while her all four of her legs were limping  
badly, and some of her whiskers had been scorched off.  
  
Sasami picked her up carefully.  
  
Kiyone finally got her voice back. "What are you two doing!? This is  
a mission, not a field trip for you to bring your pets out!!"  
  
"Poor Ryo-oh-ki needs a break. After all, she did her best for us,  
didn't she?"  
  
"Miya."  
  
"I think," Washu tugged at the stunned Kiyone and Tenchi. "We  
had better get going."   
  
===============================================  
  
"Sector 5, sector 5! Move in, marines, move it!" bawled the officer to  
his men, echoing the electronic announcements. His commander's  
voice came through his headphones.  
  
"Officer, company 16? Intruder alert in sector 22, sector 22!"  
  
"What?" The officer murmured. "Company halt!" His men stopped  
as his fingers flicked through the ship blueprints. They showed  
sector 22 was exactly at the opposite end from sector 5. "Which to  
move in, sir?"  
  
"Sector 22, officer! I mean now!"  
  
"Yes sir! Executing, sir!"  
  
"Sector 5 intruder alert!" The ship's intercom blared out again. The  
officer paused, confused.  
  
"What are you waiting for, man?" The officer flinched as his  
eardrums trembled through the commander screamed at him. "I  
want your people in 22 now, you hear me!"  
  
"Yessir!"  
  
The group of twenty marines hurried back down the way they  
came.  
  
Somewhere near the bunks at the base of the ship, the commander  
shook his head at the incompetence of his men, before putting  
himself through to another man. "Officer, company 17, I want your  
men in sector 22 now!"  
  
"But…"  
  
"I mean now, 22 now!" He screamed. "Are you deaf, man?"  
  
"Sector 5, then?"  
  
"Are you looking for court martial, officer? I said, 22! Move it,  
marines!"  
  
"Yeessir!"  
  
Nowadays the cadets that got through the course thought they  
were all so good, so smart, think they're always right. Insubordinate  
buggers.  
  
Sector 5 continued to pulse red on the screen before the  
commander who was seated down at the desk. The intercom  
screamed again, "Intruder alert, in sector 5, sector 5."  
  
Of course, in this case they were right…  
  
His brown eyes looked around at the two marines standing in the  
room, then his fingers tweaked the control dial again.  
  
"Officer, company 18! Get to sector 22 right now!"  
  
===============================================  
  
"Take up positions, men!" The men of company 3 melted into the  
darkness of the passage at their officer's command. "4?" The  
officer whispered into his earphones.  
  
"Reading you, covering elevator to sector 6."  
  
"Good, we're in the passage."  
  
"2 calling 3, positions around side corridor, moving in on request.  
Who's covering the other side of the sector 5 leading to 4?"  
  
"6, 7, 8."  
  
"5 here… Enemy just passed us by, passing by 2's side, straight  
towards 3." Everything fell silent.  
  
The light at from around the passage's corner was cut of by the  
silhouette of a tall lady.   
  
"Watch out." Kiyone signalled to those behind her. "Dark passage  
ahead."  
  
Tenchi nodded, his sword held tightly, though as yet without the  
blade. The kittens treaded soundlessly, apparently noting the tense  
atmosphere. Mihoshi held her blaster at the ready, while Aeka and  
Ryoko, still in their battlesuits, prepared to use their powers, with  
Aeka keeping an especial sharp eye out for Sasami's safety.  
  
"Now." Officer, company 4, murmured.  
  
Washu, who was took up her position beside Kiyone, watched as  
the glass pod at the far end of the dark passage lowered and  
opened to reveal the lighted, empty insides of the elevator. "Hmm,  
this looks a little too tempting to be true."  
  
"Go, Washu." Kiyone smiled.  
  
The men of company 3 watched tensely as the little figure plodded  
nearer them.  
  
"Oooh, I'm scaaared of the dark… Where is the light switch?"  
  
Kiyone nodded and the silhouettes of Ryoko and Aeka, standing in  
front of Tenchi, filled the corridor's entrance, while Sasami hid  
behind her older sister and Mihoshi stood behind Kiyone.  
  
"Remember to cover the back too, Mihoshi and Tenchi," Kiyone  
reminded.  
  
In the middle of the dark passage, Washu put on a pair of  
nightvision goggles.  
  
Oh no.  
  
She saw at a glance at least thirty armed marines lining the sides of  
the corridor, weapons at the ready. Those she could make out were  
heavy duty assault laser batteries, which could puncture her own  
energy shield in about twenty shots.  
  
"Fire!" Officer 3 ordered as he just saw her form bolt. "2 move in, 5  
back up 2!"  
  
Red laser beams cut through the darkness at the fleeing Washu,  
Tenchi and the rest at the end of the corridor. Kiyone dived back  
around the corner, knocking Mihoshi over, while Ryoko and Aeka  
backed down a little, covering Tenchi. Though her short legs  
pumped hard, Washu was still only halfway back, as her shield  
rapidly turned from red to white under the barrage.  
  
"WASHU!!" Aeka cried out as the scientist's defence crumbled into  
motes of pink. A red beam took her in the arm, another in her left  
chest, and a last one split the scientist's head open. "Washu?"  
  
The lasers halted as the men watched in pure astonishment at the  
white down stuffing they could just make out slowly floating down  
to the ground amidst the darkness.  
  
"Haha! My turn!" Ryoko grinned viciously, as two plasma beams  
shot out from her hands into the sides of the corridors.   
  
The ensuing explosion hurled the marines of company 3 into the  
air, but those who were conscious nevertheless continued firing as  
they were hurled into the centre corridor, while the lucky,  
unscathed ones opened fire at Ryoko from where they were.  
  
"Let's go!" Ryoko grabbed Tenchi and Aeka, whose force field had  
been fading too, and the three of them teleported around the corner.  
  
None of the marines noted Washu, who had been lying down as  
her doll had ran from her place. The scientist, still wearing her night  
vision goggles, unleashed her blasts of pink taking down the last  
men of the ill-fated company 3 who had survived Ryoko's assault,  
then rolled into the side as more marines stepped out further down  
the corridor.  
  
"There she is!" One of the men of company 4 had the sense to put  
on his night vision goggles, but Kiyone side lunged from around  
the corner and two beams of gold streaked out. "Take cover,  
fellas!" He manage to cry out, before one shot went through his  
chest. The other one struck the wall to the side of him, which  
promptly exploded, with devastating effect.   
  
Quickly seizing the opportunity, Washu got to her feet and sped  
towards Kiyone and Mihoshi, who had come from around the  
corner and was also firing into the smoke.  
  
There was another eruption of smoke as Kova's blaster did its  
deadly work. "Get down, dimwit!" Kiyone, who was almost lying on  
the floor, pulled Mihoshi's foot back.   
  
"Woah!" She fell back, and as she did two red beams just streaked  
by where her head and chest were, leaving two holes in the wall  
behind her.  
  
"Kiyone, there's more people here too!" Sasami shrieked out, with  
Anako and Koneko shying close to her out of fear. Ryo-oh-ki  
cowered on her head, mewing softly.  
  
"I can't… Washu, watch out!" Kiyone shouted as she saw a rocket  
burst out from the smoke in the corridor towards the fleeing  
redhead.  
  
Washu quickly spun around, a pink energy blast leaving her hand  
as she threw herself towards Kiyone. The rocket detonated in a  
burst of orange and red energies, hurling Washu down the  
remainder of the corridor, over Kiyone and Mihoshi's heads.   
  
"Ow." The scientist managed, through her pink shield that was only  
a just slightly faint red now, then slid down the wall beside her  
broken goggles.  
  
===============================================  
  
"This won't do!" Tenchi cursed, watching Aeka and Ryoko protect  
him, unable to retaliate, as their defences weakened. "Aeka, Ryoko,  
let's go!"  
  
Without waiting for them, he charged ahead, blue sword lashing  
out. The marines watched in half shock as Tenchi, face contorted in  
anger, leaped over two shots and his blade reflected three scarlet  
lasers back to their ranks, taking down two men. Aeka hurried after  
him even as his blade cut down two more, as the marines drew back   
and fired as one.   
  
Tenchi felt a flicker of fear as death loomed high on his list of things  
to do, staring at the fusillade of over ten beams directed at him,  
filling the corridor almost evenly so he would have no place to  
dodge and have too many to deflect. Then Aeka was beside him,  
and the barrage fizzed out against her Juraian force field, which  
weakened to light blue in response.  
  
"Thanks." He quickly said, about to leap forward again.  
  
"Take that, and that!" Ryoko chuckled as she materialised behind  
the beleauguered men of company 2, her plasma bolts tearing  
through their unguarded backs with deadly effect.  
  
Taking advantage of the attack, Aeka and Tenchi ran into the  
smoke, the princess bringing down two men, and while Tenchi cut  
down another soldier, he saw something up ahead. "Ryoko, watch  
out!"  
  
"Huh?" Ryoko, right hand holding her laser sword, standing over  
the two marines she had slain, spun around, her eyes opening  
wide as she made out the men of company 5 emerge behind her,  
and the space pirate flew up in a vain attempt to avoid the volley  
of gunfire.  
  
"Tenchi, I… aaargh!" Ryoko screamed in agony as a laser struck  
her body.  
  
"RYOKO!" Tears blurred his vision as he was forcef to deflect a  
beam from the last man of company 2.  
  
Pain filling her consciousness as she fell from the air, Ryoko could  
only dimly make out another series of beams streaking to her.  
  
Farewell, Tenchi my love…  
  
She watched the beams coruscate to pale green as they struck  
something before her face, and someone seized her just before she  
struck the ground.  
  
Tenchi…  
  
"Lord Tenchi, get back!" Ryoko heard Aeka order from over her  
and for a moment Ryoko's eyes popped open in shock, before her  
consciousness faded in a tsunami of agony.  
  
===============================================  
  
Behind them, Kiyone was firing continuously with both hands on  
Kova's blaster. Her right hand was aching badly from absorbing  
the recoil, and she was using both hands to handle it now.  
  
"Aeka!" Sasami announced as she saw the princess and Tenchi  
pull back, her sister holding an unconscoius Ryoko. "What  
happened to Ryoko?"  
  
"She got hurt." Aeka replied tersely. "Where's Washu?"  
  
"She's here." Mihoshi murmured, then her heart skipped several  
beats as a beam just skimmed by her hand that was pointing  
backwards.  
  
"This way!" Kiyone called as she rolled into the passage to the lift,  
now more or less empty except for the corpses of the fallen  
marines, and a few others, whom she could not see due to the dark  
and was just shooting randomly at. "There's less fire!" She ducked  
under another beam as Mihoshi's shot finished the person who  
was the origin of that blast.  
  
"Quick, Tenchi!" Aeka turned to pass Ryoko over to Tenchi as  
Anako and Koneko followed after Kiyone. Tenchi felt the tears form  
again as he took in the deep, bloodied crater in her clothes near her  
side just under her right breast, and tried not to feel her lifeblood  
flow through his fingers.  
  
"Aiiee!" Aeka shrieked, and he looked up as the older princess  
stumbled back from the impact of another barrage. Sasami saw  
her force field was already beginning to fade as company 5  
unleashed another salvo at them.  
  
"SASAMI!" Tenchi cried out as he held Ryoko, for the little princess,  
(kawaii) face set into grim determination, had seized Kiyone's GP  
blaster off the floor and interposed herself between the lasers and  
her older sister.  
  
The merciless scarlet beams continued relentlessly, and…  
  
…faded into nothing just centimetres from Sasami's face.  
  
The little princess, seemingly unperturbed, raised the blaster with  
both hands and returned fire, almost randomly of course, as she  
was no professional in its use.  
  
"Sasami…!" Aeka murmured, awe in her voice. Even as she  
watched the air before the princess shimmered with a Juraian field  
similar to her own, only it was a much lighter blue than hers.  
  
"Hurry up!" Kiyone cried.   
  
"Coming!" Mihoshi picked Washu up. Her life was charmed, of  
course, with the luck that follows her everywhere, for in the fifteen  
seconds she took to pick Washu up and turn around two beams  
flickered past her calves, followed by one each between her legs,  
over her shoulder and just by her elbow which had straightened at  
just that very moment. Another had popped through her GP cap  
and out the other side, leaving a small hole in it where the sign of  
the GP should be, and a last one through her hair band, causing her  
tied up hair to drop and flow down neatly over her shoulders.  
  
Aeka pulled Sasami around the corner as Tenchi carried Ryoko  
behind Kiyone. "Ryo-oh-ki?" Sasami asked as she saw the cabbit  
tumble off her head and caught her. Apparently she had fainted  
dead away from fright. Quickly she tucked the GP blaster into her  
dress.  
  
"Die, damn you!" Kiyone raged, recklessly somersaulting forward.  
"Why don't you just…ungh!" She stifled a cry as a beam grazed the  
side of her left thigh. But the explosive shot from the blaster  
finished the last man in company 4. "Coast clear, let's move and  
take this lift!"  
  
"Sasami, how did you do that?" Aeka and Tenchi asked with awe in  
their voices.  
  
"Well, I'm not sure…" Sasami's voice seemed a little lost and far  
away. "It just…" her voice faded, then suddenly she fell backwards  
into Aeka's arms and into a deep faint.  
  
===============================================  
  
The twelve companies of men looked around Sector 22 with  
surprise. It was a large storage section of the Comet, where there  
were countless packs and boxes of material, but strangest thing is  
that there were no intruders to be seen.  
  
"Officers." The earphones ordered. "I wished you to come here to  
protect these cargo from the intruders. They are precious beyond  
anything else in the Comet. Should the intruders overcome  
companies 2 through 8, you must stop them here. There is a larger  
area here, and you should find it easy to hide and snipe at them.  
Tell your men to set up your defences, and remain here."  
  
"What about sector 5, sir?"  
  
"You are to remain here unless I give further orders. Do you  
understand, soldiers?"  
  
"Yes sir!" barked all twelve officers at once.  
  
===============================================  
  
"Officer, company 5 reporting."  
  
"What happened, officer?"  
  
"2, 3 and 4 were all wiped out by the intruders. I have lost two men  
myself, and the intruders have just taken a lift heading to Sector 6.  
Order to pursue?"  
  
"Negative. If they can take out so many companies, you don't stand  
a chance. I don't want to lose more good men."  
  
"But sir?" The officer tried hard to disguise his disappointment.  
The corridor was strewn with bodies, with good men who had once  
been alive. "If I turn back now I will have let down my fellow  
marines from 2, 3 and 4, not to mention my own casualties."  
  
"Your orders are to proceed to Sector 22 and set up defences there  
with companies 9 to 20." The commander sighed. "Look, I know it's  
hard on you, but I can't afford to lose you and your men too." He  
paused, and his voiced turned authoritarian again. "You are not to  
leave sector 22 until given orders. Relay these orders to companies   
6, 7 and 8 as you move out from here to Sector 4."  
  
The officer sighed, defeated. "Very well, sir. Over."  
  
The commander took off the ear phones, breathed out either in  
relief or sorrow, and stood up, watching his two bodyguards in the  
room, tentatively.  
  
"Sir?" They asked.  
  
"Come over here, soldiers."  
  
The two stepped over, heads tilted forward attentively. "Yes, sir?"  
  
"Sorry." There were two slight sounds, then the two soldiers  
slumped down, unconscious. The commander walked over to the  
only door that covered the only passage of entry into the room,  
locked it from the inside, and left the room, leaving behind a pair of  
contact lenses with brown pupils behind.  
  
===============================================  
  
Slowly, gradually, the commander of the Synerean Marines  
regained consciousness. Everything was dark, and he realised he  
was blindfolded as well as bound and gagged.  
  
His mind rove for something to hold on to…  
  
A person from the ship's control room had met him after he and his  
men were released from animation suspension bunks. He had  
entered the room, the fellow had entered from the opposite side.  
They had greeted each other, and as they shook hands, he had felt  
a touch of cold metal in the hand, before a surge of electrical  
energy went through him and he was knocked out cold.  
  
Beside him, the member of staff from the control room was equally  
puzzled.  
  
===============================================  
  
"Where… am I?" Washu murmured from Mihoshi's arms.  
  
"You're here, Washu." Mihoshi answered for lack of something  
better to say.  
  
"Sheesh, my whole body's aching." She pushed Mihoshi's hair out  
of her eyes and looked at her. "Let me down, you."  
  
Mihoshi tried to oblige but the capsule was very crowded.   
  
Tenchi was cradling Ryoko in a corner, taking care not to jostle her,  
while Aeka watched Sasami, who had Ryo-oh-ki hopping a little on  
her chest, and tried to fight down the painful ache in her heart  
about Tenchi paying so much attention to Ryoko and not even a  
word of thanks to her.   
  
Washu had to settle for being half out of her grip.  
  
"Washu, will Ryoko make it?" Tenchi queried, concern in his voice.  
  
"I'm not sure," the redhead, fighting the soreness in her limbs and  
muscles, arched her neck to see past the crowd. "She'll manage, I  
think. It's a wound to the bottom and side of her chest, she's lucky  
in that it just missed puncturing her lungs, maybe minimal damage to  
her kidneys, nothing she can't take."  
  
There was a sudden shudder, then a jerk.  
  
"What the…?" Kiyone exclaimed as the lift stopped moving.  
  
"Get away!!" They heard someone cry out above, sounding dimly  
like Kova. "Get out of the lift!" The voice was urgent, and there was  
a dim explosion from somewhere above.  
  
Kova cursed as explosion cleared, showing that the entrance to the  
lift's shaft was blocked by the collapse of the corridor.  
  
Oh god, please let them be safe…  
  
"Tenchi, quick!" Kiyone cried. Seizing Mihoshi's blaster from her  
she aimed up at the lift, she aligned it before Kova's blaster and  
fired at the ceiling of the lift just less than half a metre above their  
heads. As she almost casually deposited the blaster back in  
Mihoshi's holster, she just managed to make out through the small  
hole a dash of blue hair and dark battlesuit above the lift, as the  
figure landed on top of the lift with a slight jolt.  
  
Kova!  
  
"Get away!" His voice sounded a lot more distant than the figure  
directly above them.  
  
Tenchi, who was furthest from Kiyone, carved a hole in the side of  
the lift with his blade. "There's a room here, I'll have to make the  
hole bigger!"  
  
"Hurry!" Kiyone ordered.  
  
To shoot or not to shoot? Kiyone's mind was tossed into tumult.  
  
Kova's blaster trembled in her hand…  
  
I trust you will not strike your master, she prayed. And please don't  
miss the hole…  
  
As Tenchi, carrying Ryoko, followed by Anako and Koneko, hurried  
out of the lift, her finger pulled the trigger back.  
  
The yellow laser streaked out, going exactly through the hole left  
by Mihoshi's blaster.  
  
There was an explosion as the beam struck the figure on top of the  
lift in the chest, and he was lifted off in the blinding golden  
explosion, that shook the lift, followed by another flicker of crimson  
as something burst out and struck the side of the elevator shaft in a  
scarlet burst of light.  
  
The cyborg…  
  
"Waah!" Mihoshi and Washu were just getting out after Aeka, when  
Kiyone rammed into them from behind.  
  
"Get out of my way!" She screamed as the three of them tumbled to  
the floor. Behind them, the lift detonated in a blaze of scarlet light,  
the impact flattening the three of them to the ground. Aeka, who  
was holding the unconscious Sasami and hurrying out of the room,  
felt the pain sear her back as her force field dissipated under the  
blaze, then she and Sasami were thrown into the wall opposite.   
  
Terminus, hanging to the wall of the shaft with his one remaining  
hand, watched as the blackened remnants of the elevator plunged  
down into the darkness, then looked up as he heard the thick wall of  
metal debris in the corridor above crack and fall forward, having  
succumbed to the sweeps of glowing blue scythe.  
  
"YOU!" Kova cried at the image of himself hanging on the insides of  
the shaft, while his heart prayed that Kiyone had not been in the  
elevator that had vanished below him. Terminus gave a shrug and  
somersaulted down into the opening below him him Tenchi had carved,  
as his missing arm and leg formed back.  
  
"Aeka?" Sasami asked softly as she regained consciousness.  
  
"I'm fine, Sasami." Aeka mumbled weakly from under her, as Tenchi  
hurried over by them, leaving Ryoko slumped on the ground,  
attended to only by the two kittens.  
  
"Kova?" Tenchi asked as his gaze followed Sasami's eyes and  
helped Aeka up,and saw the spy land in the opening in the wall of  
the room.  
  
"Kill him!" Kiyone's voice was echoed by another cry from outside  
that sounded like Kova's.  
  
Outside, Kova leaped down aiming for behind Terminus, scythe at the  
ready, not noticing that where Terminus had clung from a tube like  
extension similar to a cannon was forming…  
  
The blaze of green that registered in the corner of his eye gave him  
just enough time to raise his forearms to defend himself. He grit his  
teeth as the beam shot out of Solar and slammed him on the far  
side of the wall, before he slid down.  
  
Kiyone's hand brought the blaster up, and dived back into Washu  
who was getting up. "Washu, help me!"  
  
Terminus made his move just an instant before she could pull the  
trigger."Too slow, detective." The cold voice murmured.  
  
Tenchi quickly leaped to the right, pulling Aeka and Sasami away,  
as Kiyone and Washu were hurled back towards them and into the  
wall again by the scarlet explosion, while Mihoshi, half sitting at the  
moment of impact, was blown aside by the blast and knocked  
against the right wall of the room. It was thanks to Washu's  
temporary shield that the three of them were alive at all.  
  
Outside Kova leaped from side to side trying to avoid the green  
blasts from Solar, who was humanoid again and standing  
perpendicular to the shaft of the elevator, filling the shaft with  
dazzling bolts of energy.  
  
"Curse you!" Kova hurled the scythe out as he clung on to the  
sides. Solar melted away into the sides as the scythe flew over and  
detonated on the wall behind him, before returning to Kova as the  
cyborg formed back elsewhere and opened fire again. "Are you  
there, Kiyone!?"  
  
He's here!  
  
Kiyone forced her eyes open. Beside her Washu lay half conscious  
as Tenchi and Sasami hurried over to them, with Kova's blaster  
lying between them on the ground.  
  
"Now, you die." Terminus raised a hand at them. "But first, the  
lucky one." Kiyone's eyes opened wide as she saw him take an aim  
to the right, presumably at the unconscious Mihoshi nearby.  
  
"No, Mihoshi!" Kiyone cried out.  
  
Terminus watched in surprise as the wall behind Mihoshi crumbled  
almost instantaneously under the azure sweep of the laser sword  
and the boy stepped out just half a second before the scarlet ball  
left his hand. Tenchi stood over Mihoshi, sword gleaming bright as  
the deadly projectile whizzed towards them.  
  
"Hai!" Tenchi hurled his sword and the blade connected with the  
crimson pulse of energy some one metre ahead. Aeka dimly heard  
him cry out as light enveloped his form, then he and Mihoshi were  
tossed back through the hole in the wall by the impact, just landing  
beside Aeka. Tenchi was conscious but he looked rather badly  
bruised, while Mihoshi seemed in a similar state, except that she  
was unconscious. His weapon, blade extinguished now, flew back  
in and knocked hollowly against Mihoshi's forehead.  
  
"Uhhh…" Mihoshi mumbled as the pain from the bruise brought  
her senses back.  
  
===============================================  
  
Some three metres above the area behind Terminus, Solar aimed  
his lasers so Kova could not get any handhold.  
  
"Gaah!" He exclaimed in frustration and threw his weapon up  
futilely again, as a laser streaked towards his shin, forcing him to  
leap further down the shaft. Catching on to a handhold, he forced  
himself upwards with hands and legs, leaping up a little just before  
the place he had landed was struck by two more beams. As the  
scythe came back he jumped on it and bounced away down and to  
the left, gaining another two metres in height before another well  
aimed salvo caused him to slide further down or be perforated.  
  
Terminus watched Tenchi and the stirring Mihoshi, with Aeka  
standing unsteadily over them. The older princess had exhausted  
her power, and was practically defenceless as he prepared to blast  
them into oblivion, when he heard a word.  
  
"Stop." Terminus turned to Sasami, standing in the ruined doorway  
with Ryo-oh-ki cowering behind her, her face pale with the  
weakness induced by invoking her power earlier as she aimed the  
GP blaster at him with one hand.  
  
"Go ahead and shoot, princess," he chuckled metallically, raising a  
hand that pulsed scarlet and aiming for the girl and Washu behind  
her. "Let's play draw and see who gets to fire first." Not that the  
pathetic golden beam could hurt him, of course.  
  
Someone was missing…  
  
Something struck his hand and deflected it as it struck the ceiling  
diagonally to his left, causing the metal to buckle and cave in.  
Before he could react, Kiyone leaped on him, as her yo-yo returned  
to her hand, her sore body acting on instinct and lashing out,  
uselessly, at his throat, solar plexus and in between the legs. "Now,  
Sasa..hrrk!" Kiyone choked as he gripped her by the throat and  
lifted her off the floor.  
  
Sasami hesitated, and the GP blaster lowered a little, unsure of the  
aim. What if it struck Kiyone?  
  
===============================================  
  
Having figured out how to get towards his nemesis, Kova once  
again dug his scythe into the wall and leaped up using the  
momentum and the force of his legs on the sides of the shaft,  
swinging at Solar with the scythe in his right as his left arm  
deflected the shots. Solar's body bent back an impossible ninety  
degrees as the scythe sliced through thin air, and Kova felt his  
temple burst open bleeding as a shot skimmed by over his right  
ear.  
  
"Come on, shoot me." The fake Kova grinned at the young  
princess, as his blue stony eyes stared at Kiyone, writhing in his  
grip. "Talk about dying in the hands of the one you love…"  
  
"It … th… arms…" she gasped, fighting to breath. "Only… lov…  
Kov…"  
  
Somehow, Kova heard or sensed her situation as he weaved  
between the green beams. "NO! Uuurgh…" he faltered in the air as  
a beam struck his right calf, ripping through the bandage she had  
placed over, tearing the mending tissue, and then he toppled and  
plunged down. "Kiyone…"  
  
===============================================  
  
Through her hazy vision, she made out something holding her  
partner.  
  
Kiyone!  
  
The pain around her evaporated into the background as, without  
thinking, she drew her blaster in one fluid motion and fired.  
  
"Damn!" Terminus cried as the hand holding Kiyone severed  
exactly at the wrist, the only place a blaster beam could hope to  
break off any part of his body with one shot. Kiyone fell to the  
ground breathing deeply as the hand loosened and dropped  
before her, darkening to the silver of Teranium. He turned to  
Mihoshi, disregarding Sasami, of course.  
  
"Now!" Kiyone forced the air in her burning lungs out for a cry as  
she rugby tackled his legs. Terminus' bolt went awry, bursting into  
the ceiling again, as Sasami acted.  
  
Kiyone's GP blaster dropped to the ground as Sasami pulled back  
the trigger on the blaster she was holding in the other hand behind  
it.  
  
Kiyone swung herself behind Terminus as the golden beam  
streaked over to the cyborg.  
  
Kova, I trust you…  
  
As the detective hurled herself into the shaft away from Terminus,  
the laser blast struck him squarely in the chest and the cyborg  
erupted into a blaze of gold.  
  
"KIYONE!" Mihoshi and Sasami screamed together.  
  
===============================================  
  
Swearing to himself, Kova just managed to arrest his descent with his  
laser shields, scythe and hands, before Terminus exploded. Through the  
yellow blast just above him, Kova glimpsed the blur of blue and green  
descending. "Kiyone-chan!" He cried out as he fought to keep from  
falling, his reactions slowed by the fact that he was injured and  
that he was fighting against the artificial gravity employed by the  
Comet amidst a barrage of lasers.  
  
"Damned you, fall!" He swore as the scythe left his hands, then  
trusting to his skill, leaped diagonally up at the falling detective  
above him, in the process collapsing his calf muscle and sending agony  
streaking up, but he felt them not, only conscious of one thought amidst  
the blaze of green.  
  
Oh please don't let the beams hit Kiyone… he prayed.  
  
Concentrating on Kova, Solar did not expect an attack, and could not  
react on time, as the weapon unexpectedly flew up to it. The scythe  
severed the cyborg at the knees, and it plunged forward into free fall.  
  
===============================================  
  
The blonde limped over, as Sasami felt someone pulling her back a  
little.  
  
"Take this…" Washu murmured weakly as she passed Sasami a  
chemical spray. "Quickly!"  
  
As she fell, her dark green hair trailing in her wake, Kiyone dimly made  
out a dark shape rising up to meet her, and an arm wrapped around her  
waist. "Kova," she smiled weakly.  
  
He didn't reply, for though Solar had been cut off his perch, the  
robot continued bombarding them, and his left hand was hard  
pressed in defend. The scythe descended into Kova's left hand,  
reverting to a silver rod, as his right leg pressed on a foothold in the  
shaft, causing another shock of agony up his tortured member. Hurling  
the rod to their left, he opened a portal.  
  
"Aa..!" He gasped in pain as another green beam cut into his left  
side, breaking two of his ribs, the penalty for diverting his attention  
into creating a portal. Biting his lip, he launched himself and Kiyone  
into the portal, ignoring the spasms of pain from his calf, while his  
left hand caught hold of the silver rod.  
  
Solar watched passively as they disappeared before him, before  
continuing on his descent.  
  
===============================================  
  
"Kiyone, Kashiro," Washu smiled weakly as they materialised  
before her, unintentionally blessing their relationship. Tenchi  
nodded slightly in knowing Kiyone was fine, as he took Aeka's  
hand, then his eyes went back to Ryoko by the side.  
  
"Kiyone, you're alive!" Mihoshi cried out as she turned around, a  
little too fast for her battered body, and promptly fell forward.  
Sasami shrilled in joy as she turned around, revealing a small bruise  
forming on her forehead where Kova's blaster had struck her as  
it flew out of her hands from the recoil.  
  
Kova, clutching Kiyone tightly, fell to his knees, and Kiyone's eyes  
widened as she felt his blood seep through her uniform.  
"Kova-chan?" She cradled his head gently as she eased away to  
support him, taking care not to brush his injured areas. Her fingers  
brushed against his temple, and she pulled away. Her whole body  
was hurting, but somehow it didn't seem to bother her in the least.   
  
"I'm fine," he managed, his voice low and in pain. "Are you all  
right?"  
  
"There you go again." Kiyone smiled tearfully. Carefully she turned  
him over to see the injury in his chest. "Washu, is…?"  
  
"Okay," was all Washu could muster herself to say. If she were her  
normal self she would have said. 'He's fine, Ryoko's hurt worse,  
and besides, why doesn't someone ask about how I feel, huh?', but  
she did not have the breath to say it now.  
  
Maybe I should not have chosen this form, she thought. It limits my  
constitution.  
  
Aeka helped Tenchi up, as Kova reached into a portal and pulled  
out his medikit.  
  
"Are we safe here?" Tenchi murmured. "Will more of them come?"  
  
"We are." Kova managed, his gasps of pain subsiding as Kiyone  
injected anaesthetic under his arm and into his calf. "The marines  
won't be coming, and we will be fine unless the cyborgs return." He  
looked meaningfully at the patches of inanimate Teranium  
splattered over the room.   
  
"Your credit, right?" Washu said wryly.  
  
Kova nodded, as he felt his body cease sending messages of  
agony at him, while Kiyone leaned him on her. "I knocked out  
and disguised myself as their commander, then ordered them  
away from where you were." He looked around at the expressions  
of pain about him. "Thought you could deal with 4 or 3 companies,  
guess I didn't divert enough men." He winced. "Ouch…"  
  
"Quit moving and it won't hurt so much." Kiyone exclaimed in  
irritation, in the act of bandaging his side, running the cloth  
over his old shoulder wound, while her eyes made contact with  
Mihoshi's, who was moving over to her. "I've still got my partner to  
attend to, you know." Her blistered back hurt and her throat still  
smarted, but she ignored them.  
  
"You're not so fine yourself." He muttered, a little disgruntled. "Say,  
Tenchi, where's Ryoko?"  
  
Tenchi's expression dimmed as he recalled the space pirate. "She  
got hit, Kova…"  
  
He gestured to the box, nodding, and Sasami stooped to pick up  
the things he pointed out, before hurrying over to Tenchi.  
  
"Thanks, Sasami," he murmured, then turned to Ryoko. Gesturing  
at Anako and Koneko to make way, he carefully peeled away her  
torn battlesuit to reveal her bloodied flesh underneath.  
  
His heart skipped a beat as he saw her white, soft…  
  
Tenchi slew his thought, and picking what looked like a good spot,  
injected the only syringe he had been given into Ryoko.  
  
Aeka felt her heart constrict as she watched him. He had saved  
Mihoshi, thanked Sasami, attended to Ryoko, and after all that, not  
even a word to her…  
  
Aeka watched, trying very hard not to, but she could not help it…  
  
"What's wrong, Aeka?" Sasami asked.  
  
"It's nothing, just…" Aeka leaned back and let herself slide down  
against the wall, tears running freely down her face as she gave in  
to her sorrow and sobbed, burying her face in her forearms.  
  
Done wrapping up Ryoko's wound, Tenchi happened to look up.  
  
Oh no, what's wrong with Aeka now?  
  
A voice screamed from within his mind.  
  
Tenchi, you *BAKA*!  
  
Aeka's tearful eyes opened to see Tenchi's face before her. "Aeka."  
He tried to put his arms around her but…  
  
"Go away!" She howled at him, her eyes burning with anger now. "I  
am a princess, I don't want or need your pity! Go back to that  
Ryoko woman of yours, and leave me alone!"  
  
Tenchi drew back in surprise before the anguished princess, who  
promptly returned to crying again. For a moment, he considered if  
he should just hug her anyway…  
  
"Sorry, Aeka."   
  
"Tenchi!" Sasami cried out. "Stop that, Tenchi!"  
  
"Sorry, Aeka."  
  
Aeka finally made out, through her own sobs, the sounds of  
something hard knocking against the floor, and she raised her  
head. Tenchi was prostrated before her, kowtowing continuously  
to her, his head knocking on the floor. Aeka watched, stunned and  
speechless, as Tenchi raised his expressionless face, his forehead  
red, sore, and on the verge of bleeding, while his earnest brown  
eyes stared straight at her. "Sorry, Aeka." He bowed again, striking  
his head on the floor.  
  
"Tenchi…"  
  
"Sorry, Aeka." Knock.  
  
"Tenchi, please…" Sasami and Aeka pleaded together.  
  
Tenchi looked up again, his forehead burst and bleeding. "I love  
you, Aeka…"  
  
There was a sharp intake of breath from the older princess, as  
Tenchi bowed again.  
  
"Thank you for everything, Ae…"   
  
"Oh, Tenchi!" Then she had thrown herself on him, her tears  
flowing again. Tenchi held her close, his lips trembling at the  
anguish on her face and in her voice.  
  
"Aeka, thank you." He buried his face into her shoulder. "Thank  
you so much…"   
  
"I'm beginning to understand the thing about that boy," Kova,  
sitting beside Washu, commented. "I always wondered how a  
someone like Ryoko or Aeka could fall for him, but I think I am  
finally beginning to understand now."  
  
"He has always been this way." Washu whispered. "Unlike  
some…"  
  
"I have had to learn," Kova replied, as he sprayed Washu with the  
healing enhancing enzymes, for her hurts were all over her body  
from the various detonating impacts. "Yoda Shiro's life was not so  
interesting I would like to relive it again." He thought back to the  
way he sneaked into Yagami, how he got himself to become a  
doctor. "Kiyone taught me a lot. She taught me how to live again  
like a human, like the man Kova Kashiro should always have  
been." His eyes became distant and abstracted. "She gave me  
more than she will ever know."  
  
Washu watched him, with his expression far away and radiant, and  
she recalled how Tenchi had shouted her down when she  
suggested they get Kiyone to capture Kova.  
  
I think I'm beginning to see your point, Tenchi.  
  
"Thank you, Kashiro." She said as Kova stood up, grunting a little  
in pain from his calf injury.   
  
"No problem, professor." He called to Kiyone. "Is Mihoshi all  
right?"  
  
"She will be fine, I think." Kiyone, back faced to Kova, gently  
tended to her partner, half sitting before her.  
  
"So what was it like, Kiyone, were you scared?" Mihoshi piped  
liltingly, her enthusiasm seemingly overflowing now that her  
partner was alive for sure.  
  
"Keep quiet, can't you see, I'm trying to concentrate!"   
  
"It must have been scary, if I were you, I would be very frightened."  
She looked at Kiyone with some kind of awe. "You're very brave,  
Kiyone!"  
  
"Mihoshi, pipe down!"   
  
"Oh, I forgot you had Kova with you…" Mihoshi giggled.  
  
Kiyone sighed in resignation, feeling Kova standing over her from  
behind. "At least as fine as she can ever be, Kova-chan."  
  
"How's your back now? Did I do okay?"  
  
"It feels much better now, after you put that whatever it was…"  
Kiyone tried to stop herself imagining the way he had carefully slid  
his hands under the worn back of her uniform and around her  
waist to apply the medicine. If only…  
  
Mihoshi watched, eyes wide, as Kova bent down, his hand  
snatching a vial from the medikit as his lips planted a kiss on the  
side of Kiyone's neck. Kiyone's hands froze for a moment, then  
resumed their work seemingly unaffected, but her eyes became a  
little glazed, her cheeks blossomed rose, and her lips seemed to  
reach out and curl slightly up at the edges.  
  
Sasami turned away from Tenchi and Aeka as the two slowly  
moved apart. "Oooh!" She giggled. "You too!" Ryo-oh-ki, perched  
on her head, seemed to laugh.  
  
Kova turned to face Sasami, eyes wide at being caught in the act,  
while Kiyone, who was studiously not looking back, turned redder.  
"Ahem," he cleared his throat, trying not to sound too unnatural,  
while his face tinged a little red. "Are you all right, Sasami?"  
  
"I'm okay, Kova." She replied. "Why don't you continue doing with  
what you were doing?" She giggled again.  
  
Kova pointedly ignored her and went over to Tenchi and Aeka, who  
were looking over at Ryoko with concern. She was still  
unconscious, her face was drained of colour, though her breathing  
was more regular and less strained now.  
  
"Could you help?" Tenchi asked, his eyes pleading with the spy.  
"Maybe wake her somehow?"  
  
Aeka swallowed her bitterness, remembering how Tenchi had  
kissed her cheeks, and thanked her for all the joy she had brought  
to him, for saving him and Ryoko, for always being there for him.  
  
Yet here he was begging someone else to help Ryoko.  
  
That's what makes him so lovable, doesn't it? She told herself. If he  
ceased loving either me or Ryoko for one moment, he would no  
longer be Tenchi in my eyes.  
  
He'd only be a monster, one that coldly disregards people in the  
face of desire.  
  
She wondered if Ryoko could ever see things that way, but at this  
moment, the revelation stared her full in the face. And she suddenly  
knew, she could never have him all to herself.  
  
Yet for all that he loved Ryoko, he loved her no less. He would  
never choose one over the other, unless one of them did  
something utterly horrible. And for all the tenacity with which he  
loved Ryoko too, for all the means he tried to help her, he would do  
no less for Aeka.  
  
And that was why he was so dear to her.  
  
Kova unstoppered the vial of black material he had got from the  
medikit, and Tenchi and Aeka both gagged at the horribly pungent  
smell. Holding his nose, Kova waved it under Ryoko's face. Tenchi  
watched as Ryoko's nose twitched, her facial muscles contorting  
slightly, then her eyes half opened.  
  
"Yech…" She exclaimed weakly, and Kova promptly stoppered the  
vial and carelessly tossed it over his shoulder. As Kiyone finished  
with Mihoshi and turned, her eyes widened as the vial hurtled over  
Sasami's head, through the hole in the wall, seemingly aiming  
straight for Kiyone's face, before landing with a plonk in the  
medicine box.  
  
"Kova-chan!" Kiyone exclaimed angrily.  
  
"Oops, sorry…" He quickly left them as Tenchi and Aeka stood  
over the awakening Ryoko, while Anako and Koneko licked gently  
at her arms.  
  
"Tenchi…?" Ryoko managed, as Tenchi gently supported her  
towards him.  
  
"It's me, Ryoko," he managed a smile. "Is your hurt still bad, can  
you stand?"  
  
Ryoko was not listening, but staring at Aeka over Tenchi's  
shoulder, whose glimmering eyes seemed to shine like amethysts.  
"Aeka?"  
  
The princess remained silent.  
  
"I… would like to…" Ryoko lowered her head, feeling weak at  
having to confess so openly before her rival.   
  
But she saved you! If not for her you wouldn't be with Tenchi now!  
  
"…thank you. I owe you my life." There was a silence. "Why…?"  
  
"Lord Tenchi loves you," Aeka replied simply, as Tenchi stared at  
her, his eyes registering disbelief. Could this Aeka be the same one  
who had battled with Ryoko over him? "So I had to protect you."   
  
Ryoko nodded, carefully so as not to strain her body. She could  
just feel Tenchi's arms and presence around her, with his  
comforting warmth and the anxiety he showed for her. Yet she  
could feel the sorrow and the peace within the princess' simple ten  
words, within the purple eyes that watched her, almost with sisterly  
concern.  
  
"Aeka," she murmured, her gratitude expressed in her voice, then  
her amber eyes made contact with Tenchi's. "Tenchi, do you love  
me?" She asked.  
  
His mind reeled at the question.  
  
Someday, I promise you, you will know exactly how much I do.  
  
And for the first time, he realised Ryoko was not asking only about  
herself. In that moment, with that question, she was thanking Aeka.  
  
And he let his heart guide his words.  
  
"I love Aeka as much as I love you." He breathed. "Neither of you  
are any less to me than the other, and I would brave all the dangers  
in all of existence for either of you."  
  
Ryoko nodded, her heart flooding with pain, even as Aeka felt a  
warm glow suffuse through her.  
  
Thus I thank thee, brave daughter of Jurai, by calling forth the  
words that spill mine blood and add to thine.  
  
I can never have him all to myself.  
  
Ryoko smiled bitterly at Aeka. "Someday, princess, we will have to  
sort this out."  
  
Aeka nodded.  
  
Tenchi gently tugged Aeka's sleeve, and the Juraian princess  
stooped low beside him.  
  
Kiyone and Kova, along with Mihoshi, Sasami and Washu, watched  
as the boy held the two jewels of his life close to him once more.  
  
Kova felt Kiyone's fingers close around his, and they linked hands,  
intertwining their fingers.  
  
"Do you think we could ever…" Kiyone whispered in his ear.  
  
"Someday, maybe." His voice was soft and hopeful.  
  
"Someday soon."  
  
===============================================  
  
Overlord watched with glee as the screen flashed with words.  
  
'Construction Copy completed.'  
  
As the stand containing the Tachyon Blaster unsealed itself, he  
snatched up his direct speaker devices.  
  
"Terminus, Solar, do you read me?"  
  
"Solar here. Terminus has been terminated, with over 50% of his  
mass disabled."  
  
Overlord cursed. "Never mind, meet me at the rendezvous."  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
===============================================  
  
"This way," Kova, Kiyone, Mihoshi and Tenchi led the way, as the  
group hurried past eight unconscious guards. They were quite  
frankly, pathetic, their basic phaser gun poor and their cohesion  
lousy, not to mention their few numbers. Tenchi was employing his  
unarmed combat skills taught by Katsuhito, Kiyone and Mihoshi  
had their guns set to stun, while Kova's silver rod covered the rest.  
  
Aeka hurried along, carrying Ryoko, who was half flying, so she  
really didn't weigh that much, while Sasami had Ryo-oh-ki on her  
head while Washu was tailed by Anako and Koneko.  
  
"How you know where we're going?" Tenchi asked.  
  
"I saw the entire map of the ship when I was serving as the  
Syneran Marines' Commander."  
  
Before long they came to another door, slightly bigger and thicker  
than the regular ones.  
  
"All right, it's behind this one." He signalled for them to stand   
aside, then the cerulean scythe detonated the door in a blaze of   
blue. Sure enough, red beams blasted out from beyond the door.   
Kiyone dived under them, using the explosive blaster, and the   
unseen attacker paused for a moment as the interior exploded.   
Kova leaped up, using his scythe as a swing on the side of the door.  
  
The room beyond was rather large, filled with computer screens,  
like a second bridge of the ship, big enough for an entire crew.  
However, there was only one person in it.  
  
The man was standing all the way across the room, over forty  
metres away, beside the broken remnants of his desk, his hand  
holding two blasters. One seemed ordinary, but the other one  
looked like it had a satellite mounted on it. He was dressed in neat  
white robes, like some kind of monastic garb, with flowing white  
hair that came down to his chest. Although he looked over fifty  
years old, he had no beard, but rather a snowy moustache that ran  
from above his thin, almost invisible lips to hang near the base of  
his neck. His brows beneath his slightly wrinkled forehead were   
thick snow white curves, not curled particularly maliciously, in fact  
with a slight tilt to it that would have made him look cheerful if  
not for the grim line that was his mouth. His eyes sparkled a bright  
grey, almost silver, sinister sheen, concealing a wellspring of wrath  
awaiting release upon the person before him.  
  
Kova's eyes lit up with fearful recognition. "Seida!"  
  
"Kashiro." His voice snarled, before the blasts of scarlet streamed  
after Kova, forcing him to jump away. "So you thought you could  
outlive me, did you?" He leaped catlike, away from his position as  
Kiyone blast obliterated the remnants of the things on the dais.  
  
"Sakanoi, what are you doing here?"  
  
"The cyborgs, the spies, they were all my plans, to obtain this!" He  
flourished the Tachyon Blaster triumphantly, as the rest of them,  
seizing his moment of distraction, quickly filed into the room. Not  
taking his eyes off Kova, Seida vaulted onto the screen and seized a  
handhold as his original position exploded in a burst of metal.  
Kova hurled his scythe, but Seida dived off his perch and did a roll,  
his blaster never ceasing firing for a moment at Kova. "Die, traitor!"  
  
Mihoshi's and Kiyone's GP blasters dashed ineffectually off his  
form.  
  
"An anti-beam shield!" Washu called out as Tenchi, brandishing his  
blade, charged forth too.  
  
"I'll avenge my son yet, spy!" Seida seemed solely intent with trying  
to shoot Kova down as he rolled under another sweep of the scythe,  
when a scarlet beam suddenly burst out somewhere around him, certainly  
not from his blaster, and hurtled towards Kiyone.  
  
"Kiyone, watch out!" Mihoshi yelled as her partner dived away. The  
shot whizzed towards Aeka and fizzled out on the weak azure  
force-field, that was gaining in strength as Aeka rested herself.  
  
Tenchi' ducked under another blast, and Sakanoi suddenly stood up as  
the threat of assault abated, before the Tachyon Blaster was rapidly  
levelled towards all of them.  
  
"What the…?" Kiyone's eyes opened wide.  
  
"You'll blow up the ship!" Kova screamed as the scythe arced  
back into his hand.  
  
"Who cares?" For the first time, Seida smiled, revealing a mouthful of  
gleaming white teeth. "So long, people." His finger pulled the  
trigger back.  
  
=== End of Chapter ===  
  
NOTES:  
Kova is in a way, an SIed character. Pls include him in your  
comments, whether I have portrayed him as a person, as a friend  
or foe, as one of the gang, and most importantly, as a human being.  
I have some pictures of him, not too good pencil drawings, if you  
wish to take a look pls mail me.  
  
Chapter 11 was problematic, as I realised I far exceeded my regular  
chapter size, by 2.5 to 3.5 times. Some may be happy with its length,  
while not so for others. I welcome any suggestions where to segment  
off this chapter into 2 parts, either maintaining its original title,  
with part A & B, or with a new title each.  
  
The end of this chapter is a little anti-climactic, action wise. Firstly,  
this is far from the end of Darkness and Light. Secondly, Seida is after  
all a human being, and even if very well trained, does not have Kova's  
enhancements. The distance between him and the door is a main reason why  
he has not been killed already. There is another reason, revealed in the  
next chapter (unnamed yet), ^_^.  
  
A chapter 12 or 13 may emerge, but that is the furthest I  
will go (eg, unfinished story) unless I receive some requests to finish it,  
for I have to prepare for my A levels. No matter what, I will try to finish  
it once my A's are over, which is in late Nov/early Dec.  
  
I hope you have enjoyed this Fanfic as much as I have typing it.  
If there are any more grammar errors, I beg your forgiveness, as  
my sole proofreader is myself.  
  
This is my first FF, so go ahead and mail me at zyraen@yahoo.com  
with comments, especially on character portrayal, realism.  



	13. No Need for Communication

1stly : PLEASE REVIEW! I wanna noe! (even if u think it sux!)  
  
Disclaimer :  
Most characters in this story are property of AIC and Pioneer.  
They are in such a situation solely because of my imagination.  
This story was written purely for fun.  
  
This FF is based on the TV Series, with some powers drawn over  
from the OAV, but with no Light Hawk Wings.  
  
This story contains no sex, so please do not expect it.  
  
Before I wrote this Fanfic, I have only read 2 Fanfics, Aikan  
Muyo and To Love & To Hate. Since then I have read some others,  
and have noted some writers have a tendency to portray some  
characters inaccurately. I hope I have not fallen into that trap.  
  
That's about it, I'm a simple soul at heart...  
  
DARKNESS & LIGHT - No Need For Kova  
  
By Zyraen  
  
Chapter XII : No Need for Communication  
  
They watched, as the Tachyon Blaster held in Seida's hand  
blazed with dark blue energies, gathering power and charging up  
with an eerie crackling sound, preparing to unleash its deadly load.  
  
Washu ran towards Aeka, her heart pounding with fear. "Ryoko, help  
me!" The bracelet about her right wrist glowed with small golden  
lights as the gathering night blue darkness in the distance grew in  
intensity.  
  
Pain lanced through Ryoko's chest as she seized Washu's arm.  
  
I'm hurt…  
  
The image of Tenchi and the rest of her adopted family being  
obliterated in a colossal, lethal, searing maelstrom of dark azure  
flashed in her mind.  
  
To hell the pain!  
  
Her will drew her mind beyond the earthly constraints of her  
weakened body.  
  
Ryoko and Washu materialised about twenty metres from Seida, and  
the space pirate collapsed out of weakness as Washu, forcing her  
sore body to move forward, ran ahead with the Stasis Discharger  
aiming for the spymaster.   
  
The golden energies increased in brilliance and intensity as they  
detected the Tachyon flow in close proximity, growing from seething  
to raging in a few milliseconds by tapping the nearby focus of power,  
then sending a swift shimmering shaft of scintillating radiance racing  
towards the white robed man.  
  
Seida's silvery eyes lit up for a moment in a mask of utter frustration  
and fear. "N..!" His cry of frustration was cut off as the light  
descended upon him and the blaster of gathering darkness in his  
hand, surrounding him in a stream of brightness…  
  
"You lose…" Washu managed, her words almost a sigh of relief, then  
fell forward onto the ground.  
  
A moment of silence, as all pairs of eyes fell on the two distant figures  
sprawled on the ground, plus the block on the dais . Even Koneko   
and Anako seemed to have realised what had transpired entailed life   
or death for them, and remained transfixed where they were.  
  
Then, there was a brief patter of running feet, as Tenchi covered the  
ten odd metres between himself and Ryoko.  
  
"We're alive!" Sasami screamed in elation, and cannonballed into  
Aeka, hugging her tightly around the waist, and her sister, tearing her  
eyes from the upsetting scene ahead, bent down and gently stroked  
Sasami's hair.  
  
Joy finally dawned on Mihoshi's shocked expression. "Oh, this is…"  
Her voice died as she realised that unlike Sasami, she had no one to  
turn to share her feelings with any more.  
  
Kiyone and Kova were locked in a tight embrace, their bodies  
pressing close together. Kova's eyes watched as his right hand  
slowly ran through Kiyone's hair, while she held on tightly to his  
neck, with her head resting gently on his right shoulders and chest,  
her eyes closed in happiness.  
  
"You're alive, Kova-chan." The hand around his neck caressed his  
back and neck.  
  
"So are you. And that's all I could ever want."  
  
Mihoshi watched, conflicting emotions coursing through her mind as  
they slowly lifted their heads up and back off each other's shoulders.  
Their eyes locked for an instant, shining with ecstasy, then like  
drowning men gulping fresh air, their lips met.  
  
I am so happy for you, Kiyone.  
  
A fragile smile formed on Mihoshi's face, her blue eyes glittering with  
teardrops, as Kova's hands swept Kiyone off her feet and he drew  
her close him like a groom with his bride.   
  
Then their lips parted.  
  
"Kova-chan…" Kiyone's eyes shone bright with passion, then she  
realised where she was. "What the…?"  
  
Kova grinned and whirled around in a rapid waltz, twirling her and  
himself as her dark green hair streamed out behind in verdant  
circles, seeming not to feel his hurts.  
  
"Put me down!" She cried, her voice somewhere between  
exasperation and exhilaration.  
  
"Woohoo!" He laughed as he tossed her up above his head level,  
and caught her with a swing of his arms again.  
  
"Kova-chan!"  
  
Laughing heartily, he hefted her, legs first, up and over his head,  
before bringing her down. Just moments before her feet touched the  
ground, he spun her around as he turned and caught her in his arms.  
  
"Kova-chan!" Kiyone sounded much less vehement now, and  
though she was conscious her feet were still off the ground, his  
sapphire eyes and strands of dark blue hair hanging over them  
seemed to be all her mind could take in now.  
  
"Oh god, I love you so, Kiyone-chan." He held her close to him again,  
and Kiyone sighed in blissful contentment.  
  
The tears trickled down Mihoshi's face.  
  
Kiyone, I am so happy…  
  
===========================================================  
  
As Washu had froze Seida, a shuttle pulled out of the Comet's  
docking bay.  
  
He looked back with some sort of relief. He had specially requested  
this shuttle and its docking section be EMP-shielded and provided  
with energy directly from the Comet's generators so it could pull out  
of the ship even with the Stasis Field in place.  
  
As they entered space, the lights of the shuttle flickered and went  
out.  
  
What the…?  
  
Oh yes, the EMP field works directly on the ship now…  
  
"Solar, perform energy feed into the shuttle."  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
He wondered if the Comet would explode soon. If Washu had been  
too slow, it would of course rid him of his troubles, but given her  
resourcefulness, it might have gone awry.  
  
He shrugged. The entire ship was expendable, including the cyborg,  
that was why he was on this shuttle.  
  
As Solar linked up to the main ship energy feed, the lights turned  
dimly back on, flickering occasionally, as the shuttle drew away from  
the Comet.  
  
"Overrule self-preservation status," he added to Solar.  
  
===========================================================  
  
"Washu?" Tenchi asked, supporting Ryoko as they stood over the  
redhead. "Are you okay?"  
  
Washu opened her eyes, and looked at them. "What do you think,  
huh? 'Course I'm fine!" She tried to get up. "Oh..." Her muscles hurt,  
and she massaged them gently. "Well, I'm alive, if that's what you  
mean."  
  
"What about him?" Tenchi gestured at the golden transparent block  
on the dais.  
  
Washu took some deep breaths, getting unsteadily to her feet. Ryoko  
steadied her with a hand. "We'll take him into custody, on board  
Ryo-oh-ki." She spoke slowly, and carefully. "Kova can order the  
Comet crew to return back to Synera, using his voice."  
  
"So we…?"  
  
"…call it a day."  
  
===========================================================  
  
Finally, the light in the shuttle stopped flickering as they left the EMP  
field behind.  
  
He looked at Solar, a mere chair of metal beside him.  
  
"Solar, Solar, do you read me?"  
  
There was no response. He ordered the ship's computer to run a  
scan on Solar.  
  
'Unit disabled permanently, due to loss of operating power. Chances  
of recovery - one out of ten googols.'  
  
He nodded to himself, running his fingers over the sleek, smooth  
surface of the chair. Pure Solvarium, he could probably return the  
material to the Labs to be worked on again, maybe as a different  
model now.  
  
'Path set for Synerean airspace, seventy by forty by sixty points from  
planet Colrathius.'  
  
If only he had that Tachyon Blaster, he could finish it all here and  
now, but he had to give it up or jeopardise his own survival. Of  
course, there are other ways to work about it…  
  
A transmission screen flickered on.  
  
"Galaxy Police Headquarters, how may we help you?"  
  
"Put me to Section Chief Code 37A, of Standard Enforcement Units."  
  
"Identifying Source - Synerean Cruiser Shuttle, rank Captain.  
Request approved."  
  
There was a pause, then the image of the Section Chief appeared.  
  
"Oh, it's you again, Captain." The man looked flustered and worried.  
"What happened? Why aren't you on the Comet? And do you know  
what happened to 2nd class Chief Inspectors Kiyone and Mihoshi, or  
their ship the Yagami? "  
  
"I am very sorry to inform you the Yagami has been destroyed."  
Overlord watched in veiled amusement as the Section Chief inhaled  
sharply. "I believe a certain Kova Kashiro I warned you earlier about  
to be responsible, for both the Yagami's destruction and for the  
hijacking of my cruiser, the Comet."  
  
The Section Chief's expression sunk despondently. "Oh…"  
  
"Will you be sending any men over to investigate? I have reason to  
believe the villain is still within this Solar System."  
  
"We have…" the Section Chief began, and stopped. To say they  
have sent someone would be, in a way, untrue. "Two of our officers  
are proceeding to the Solar System now, Captain." He did not think it  
prudent to inform the outsider of the precise circumstances under  
which these two had left the HQ. "About your ship?"  
  
"Oh, if it is not destroyed, I expect the Comet to show up in Synerean  
airspace. I have, after all, four hundred marines on it, and they will  
eventually overpower the subverters or drive them out. The crew  
have sealed orders on exactly which planet to head to in such an  
eventuality."  
  
The officer nodded, concurring. "Your evacuation?"  
  
"An act of prudence, especially given the sensitive information to  
which I am privy, High Command has it that I am to take all measures  
necessary to prevent myself from falling into enemy hands." He took  
a deep breath. "Death even, if necessary."  
  
The Section Chief bowed in empathy and respect. "Anything else,  
Captain?"  
  
"Yes." His silver eyes brightened. "I do not believe two officers are  
enough. May I suggest the employment of certain bounty hunters?"  
  
"No, certainly NOT!" The Section Chief frowned. "Our policies have  
stated it clearly - no dealings with bounty hunters. We are the sword  
of justice, not exterminators that indiscriminately eradicate anything  
deemed as a affliction, but those who attempt to prove it is such  
first."  
  
Overlord let himself get away with an open smile. "I understand. But  
the safety of officers is also an important priority, is it not?"  
  
The Section Chief licked his lips and remained silent.  
  
"Tell you what. I have the authority to set up a bounty for Kova  
Kashiro, worth over 15 million Synereals, or 10 million Juraian  
dollars."   
  
The Section Chief's eyes bulged out in shock at the sheer amount of  
money involved.  
  
"I merely request the Galaxy Police's services as an arbiter into those  
quarters, especially that this reward is brought to the notice of the  
infamous bounty hunter Nagi."  
  
"Well, erm…"  
  
"Surely Nagi's assistance will better your officers' chances of  
survival."  
  
"But not our…"  
  
"Oh, did I mention if a bounty hunter successfully returns his head to  
us, any arbiters will receive a ten percent commission too?"  
  
The Section Chief thought a while. "All right, Captain, we'll do it."  
  
"Thank you, Chief. That will be all."  
  
===========================================================  
  
By late evening, when they returned to Earth, almost all the  
members' of the Masaki household who were feeling better than they  
had been, thanks to Washu's ministrations, which were significantly   
better than Kova's.  
  
"Man, it's good to be back," Tenchi smiled, with the two girls beside  
him, as the surroundings around him changed from the interior of  
Ryo-oh-ki to the verdant field before his house. Some dark craters  
were burnt into the grass, testimonies to the battle that had raged  
here just that morning.   
  
"Seeing home makes me feel better already," Ryoko put her hand  
around Tenchi. Her wound still hurt, but much less now.  
  
She stiffened as she felt Aeka's hand reaching out around Tenchi  
too, as did the princess.  
  
"What do you mean your home?" Aeka asked, sounding a little tart.  
"It's Lord Tenchi's."  
  
"What's yours is ours, ne, Tenchi?" Ryoko whispered into his ear.  
  
Tenchi gulped, sweat beading on his head.  
  
"Ryoko!" Aeka's voice bit a little sharply into Tenchi's ear. "Please  
remember we are only Lord Tenchi's guests."  
  
Tenchi could not help but look up at the darkening sky over his  
house, his expression helpless.  
  
So much for that. Wishful thinking, I guess…  
  
Behind them Kiyone stood with Mihoshi and Kova flanking her on  
either side.  
  
"We're finally back!" Mihoshi laughed, as Koneko and Anako  
wrestled on the grass beside her and rolled into a crater, getting  
themselves splattered with the soil.  
  
"So, this is the Masaki household from the outside." Kova looked  
ahead, his face intent. "Seems more serene then when I first visited  
this place."  
  
"Most of us like it here." Kiyone watched him, as the evening breeze  
caused his night blue hair to ripple like water and the longer strands  
to wave across his forehead and cheeks. "We all have pleasant  
memories of this place."  
  
"Well, I should be joining you tonight here, then. I am usually more  
myself by myself."  
  
"But now we have each other."  
  
"Yes, and everything has changed." Rather than pull her close, he  
turned his gaze onto her, seeming probing into her mind, although  
his eyes seemed distant and introspective.  
  
He could not last remember when freedom and adventure mattered  
the most to him.  
  
She could not last remember when promotions and arrests mattered  
the most to her.  
  
"It has. As we have." Kiyone answered.  
  
Washu watched the two groups before them, sighing as she dragged  
herself along behind them. Sasami, her only companion by her side  
apart from Ryo-oh-ki, who had formed into a somewhat battered and  
weary cabbit on Sasami's head, seemed to be able to read her mind.  
  
"Mihoshi seems a little lonely." She watched as Aeka and Ryoko fell  
silent, as the three of them walked over to Tenchi's house. "And I  
think Ryoko and Aeka don't mind each other so much.  
  
"Some things change, Sasami." Washu's eyes were fixed on Kova  
thoughtfully. "Even myself, I guess."  
  
Sasami looked a little lost, but ultimately she knew what counted.  
"Will it be for the better?"  
  
"I hope so."  
  
A rumbling sound was heard, and Kiyone and Kova simultaneously  
turned to the blonde.  
  
"Oooh…" Mihoshi broke into a nervous grin. "Sounds like dinner  
time, huh?"  
  
"Sasami, you think you fit enough to cook?" Washu queried.  
  
"Think so." Sasami replied. "Though I'll probably either be a little  
slow or have to cook less. "What about you, Washu?"  
  
"Oh, I think I'll be putting down science for a while, at least for the  
next four hours. I need a break."  
  
"I think we all do." Including me, she added mentally.  
  
===========================================================  
  
Tenchi picked the note off the sofa as they entered.  
  
'Welcome back, Tenchi.  
  
Your father and I are at the shrine, and we've eaten already. He's still  
a little shocked at everything, although not so after some chess  
games together, so it would be best if you could explain it all to him  
when you fetch him back tonight after dinner.  
  
Grandpa.'  
  
Tenchi frowned at the note. "Washu, why does Grandpa always  
seem to know what will happen?" Sometimes it felt almost as if all  
their struggles out there were little more than unnecessary,  
unimportant little inconveniences in life, at least from Katsuhito's  
point of view.  
  
Washu shook her head at the boy's naiveté. "He's over seven  
hundred years old, Tenchi. Give him some credit on assessing  
probabilities and likelihoods."  
  
"Hang on, everyone," Sasami hurried off into the kitchen. "Dinner  
should be ready soon."  
  
"How soon?" asked Kiyone, looking pointedly at Kova, who  
surreptitiously averted his face.  
  
"I don't know, it's pretty late now already." Sasami's voice was  
heard. "I'll try, though."  
  
Kova pursed his lips to whistle, but no sound came out, partially  
because of the look Kiyone was giving him.  
  
Mihoshi gave a tired little sigh. "But I'm so hungry…"  
  
"So am I," Tenchi added. "We'll just have to wait it out."  
  
Kova shifted a little uneasily in his chair behind the sofa, but could  
not help noticing Kiyone lip speak something like, 'Are you going, or  
will I have to help you?' with a stern expression on her face.  
  
"Erm, excuse me…" Kova stood up, and headed for the kitchen.  
  
"Huh?" Aeka, seated beside Tenchi turned behind as the man  
disappeared into the kitchen, before her eyes fixed on Kiyone,  
whose face was looking faintly amused and irritated, while her mouth  
was curled in a tight pout, a little reminiscent of those moments with  
Mihoshi before she actually started screaming.   
  
The green haired detective sighed. "Men…"  
  
===========================================================  
  
"Hi, Sasami." Kova watched as Ryo-oh-ki, sitting in a corner,  
reduced a carrot down to nothing.  
  
"Hello…" The little princess didn't even turn to face him, just bustled  
about as best she could. Though she felt better already, there  
seemed to be this constant soreness in and around her body that  
slowed her movement. "Oh, this is so tiring…" Sasami had enjoyed  
cooking almost as long as she could remember, and this was about  
the first time the enjoyment did not outweigh the effort.  
  
"Could I, well, be of assistance?"  
  
"Sure, Kova," Sasami opened the fridge and started taking things  
out. "What *can* you cook?" Memories of Aeka and Ryoko helping  
out still gave her the shivers at times.  
  
"Anything you might have some excessive trouble or tedium getting  
ready."  
  
Sasami thought about it a little. "I'll take your word for that." The  
water in the pot plopped as various ingredients broke through its  
surface. "Meat, then."  
  
"Thank you." Kova smiled as he got to work. He had to admit  
though, it was the first time he had done cooking wearing his  
battlesuit.   
  
===========================================================  
  
"Dinner's ready!" Sasami called to the six people watching  
television, as Kova strolled out of the kitchen balancing three dishes  
in his right upturned hand, like a waiter.  
  
"Oh right, at last!" Ryoko exclaimed, even as Mihoshi ran over. Kova  
ignored her as he rather coolly lowered all three dishes to near the  
table surface, and used his left hand to sweep them off carefully into  
position.  
  
Kiyone's amused expression faded as she watched him work.  
"Kova-chan, are you feeling better?" He had all the demeanour of a  
waiter, but the way he laid the dishes, still wary of his left shoulder…  
  
"Definitely." His eye appraised the dishes. "Especially with all this  
food."  
  
Kiyone rolled her eyes. "Come on, it still hurts, doesn't it?"  
  
"Negligibly so." Kova looked around at the assemblage at the table.  
Even Washu seemed almost eager to fill her cravings for food, while  
Mihoshi was positively slavering. Only Kiyone seemed to walking  
over with no definitive hunger pangs. Kova gestured to a place  
between him and Mihoshi before he and Kiyone sat down together.  
  
"Hey, where's the main course?" Ryoko muttered.  
  
"Coming!" Sasami hurried out, holding the meat and the bowls of  
rice in a tray.  
  
"What took you so long, Sasami?" Aeka asked.  
  
"Oh, I had to do some things." She gave Kova a wink.  
  
The spy nodded modestly. "It's an honour to be appraised by the  
greatest."  
  
Aeka brows twitched questioningly, before Sasami placed  
everything on, and the table exploded into a wild free for all as  
chopsticks backed by ravenous stomachs reached out in a mad  
rush.  
  
"You're not eating?" Kiyone asked Kova, who was watching, mildly  
amused.  
  
"I'll wait and see." His chopsticks carefully picked out another grain  
of rice and he placed it in his mouth, chewing carefully on it. Kiyone  
stared at him, wide-eyed.  
  
Just when I think I've seen it all, there's a guy chewing *a* grain of  
rice…  
  
My guy…  
  
"This has got to be the best meal…" Ryoko tried to speak between  
mouthfuls.   
  
"I must admit the vegetables are inordinately tasty." Aeka managed a  
sentence before her chopsticks deposited something into her mouth  
again.  
  
"The meat's rather special too," Tenchi added. "Say, how come you  
cook so well this time?"  
  
Sasami giggled. "I've always cooked it this way."  
  
"Hunger makes the best cook." Washu watched as Mihoshi  
continued stuffing herself, then her gaze slid down to Kiyone taking  
moderate helping, and lastly to Kova, who seemed to be genuinely  
interested in chewing grains of rice. "But the meat does taste truly  
different from your usual style."  
  
"Oh, Kova did that." Sasami pointed out  
  
There was a sudden silence as most of the assemblage stopped  
eating for a moment, except for Mihoshi and Kiyone.  
  
"What?" Washu said.  
  
"Come on," Kiyone helped herself to another morsel. "You all saw  
him go into the kitchen, didn't you? Go on, try it…" The last one was  
addressed particularly to the man next to her, who was looking at the  
piece of meat she had placed on his practically still full bowl.  
  
Kova stared at it as if he were looking at poison, then downed it at a  
shot. "Hmmm, this is…" His eyebrows arched in pleasant surprise.  
"…very good…" His eyes swivelled over to Sasami.  
  
"Yes?" The little princess asked, innocently, as everyone resumed  
eating.  
  
"Could you tell me what you added to this?"  
  
"Maybe next time." Her gaze was cast over the dishes before them.  
"Why don't you eat first?"  
  
Kova frowned a little, before he caught Kiyone's expression.  
  
"For heaven sakes, Kova-chan, do you want me to have to feed  
you!?"  
  
"Well, I'm not used to eating with so many people around me…"  
  
Kiyone smiled a little too kindly and patted him on the back. "Well,  
you're a spy, so I'm sure you will learn fast, right?" Her voice was  
just a little too patronising.  
  
"All right, don't mind if I do." Kova conceded, and started his meal in  
earnest.  
  
===========================================================  
  
Kova watched as the golden block and its contents flashed in and  
out of existence in the machine, that looked like a big glass tank with  
metal above and below. The door behind Kova opened slightly, and  
Kiyone stepped in, having bathed and changed into her usual white  
blouse and green tights, as well as having tucked Mihoshi in to  
sleep.  
  
"Okay, here goes…" Washu murmured, facing the keyboard.  
  
Seida, the Tachyon Blaster and the Stasis Cell vanished, as numbers  
flashed on the screen of the Washu's terminal. Washu stepped over  
by the machine, then as the numbers stopped rolling by, she  
reached out into a hole at the machine's base.  
  
There was a slight clank, as the Tachyon Blaster landed in her hand,  
and Seida materialised in the machine itself, still surrounded by  
glass, his other blaster still in his right hand. He stared around  
frantically through the glass, as though he were a caged animal.  
  
Looking straight at Kova with hatred burning in his silvery eyes, he  
raised the blaster and fired.  
  
The red beam vanished as it struck the insides of the glass.  
  
"Tsk, tsk, that won't help you, Seida." Washu announced  
triumphantly. Seida gave her a glare full of daggers. "It's laser proof."  
  
"Well, how do you feel now, Seida?" Kova laughed.   
  
Their white robed prisoner seemed not to hear them, as he continued  
glaring at Washu.  
  
"He can't hear you, Kova, nor you him." Washu told him. "You'll need  
this…" She tossed him what looked like a earphones with a modified  
speaker. "That's funny, he's not saying anything…"  
  
Kova put on Washu's device. "Hello, Seida, you read me?"  
  
The prisoner turned his baleful gaze back onto him, but he remained  
oddly silent.  
  
"Seida?" Kova tried. "You there?"  
  
The blaster came up, glowing red, then Seida jammed the weapon's  
muzzle straight into the glass and fired at the same time, aiming for  
Kova. Washu, Kiyone and Kova took a step back as the glass  
flashed bright red and cracked.  
  
"What the hell?" Washu tried, then blinked in surprise as a possibility  
struck her.  
  
Seida jammed the blaster into the glass again, his finger about to pull  
back.  
  
"Get down!" Kiyone cried, knocking Kova down as the glass  
shattered and the red beam arced out through the darkness of  
Washu's laboratory.  
  
Rolling down behind the machines in the lab, the three of them took  
cover as the white-haired man shot wildly around the room.  
  
"I don't believe that!" Washu panted. "That glass can absorb up to  
five times a regular blaster base, and no human I know can inflict that  
kind of pressure on it!"  
  
"He's not Sakanoi!" Kova gritted his teeth, then he and Kiyone rose  
up, the latter's GP blaster firing as the former leaped out, scythe at  
the ready.  
  
The red blasts ricocheting off the gleaming cerulean scythe and the  
golden shots from the GP blaster struck around Seida, and Kova's  
eyes turned grim as a red shot took the man in the waist and  
Kiyone's shots struck him in the shoulder and chest.  
  
"Looks like my game's up." The mechanical voice murmured, as the  
holes sealed themselves.  
  
Seida continued firing without pause, as his left hand came up and  
released more bursts of red beams.  
  
"It's a cyborg!" The scythe descended down as the red sword came  
up to parry the sweep. The beams from the right hand blaster  
coruscated off the shield on Kova's forearm. Washu quickly  
re-summoned her terminal next to her.  
  
Kiyone frowned in irritation, her hands now holding up Kova's  
explosive blaster. The cyborg was in sights now, but Kova was in the  
way. "Kova-chan, clear out!"  
  
The blade blocked the scythe, and Kova tried the bypass method,  
but this time the cyborg leaped diagonally to the side, as his leg  
swept out in an arc that struck hard on Kova's injured right calf. He  
cried out in pain, rolling away, as his scythe's path changed from a  
diagonal sweep into a downwards side swipe, shearing the robot's  
shooting arm off as he withdrew from before it.  
  
Satellite had just enough time to glimpse Kiyone's grimly set mouth  
and steely eyes before the yellow beam ripped into his lower left  
torso and his vision was engulfed in a golden blaze.  
  
Washu came out from behind, spraying the chemicals about as bits  
of Teranium littered the insides of her lab.  
  
"Damn." She examined the smoking pieces of machinery, struck by  
the various beams and caught in the explosion's radius. "That  
cramps my style in here for a while, I guess."  
  
Kova was sitting down to one side, his hands massaging his calf  
carefully.  
  
"You're all right, I suppose?" Kiyone watched him anxiously despite  
the slight sarcasm in her voice.  
  
Something in him reared up in irritation, and his brows knitted,  
before he realised he deserved that, in a way. "Yeah, good as new,"  
he grinned back mischievously. "Come help me up."  
  
"I wonder how you manage if people take your words at face value."  
Kiyone shook her head and complied. "What did you tell the GP the  
time they rescued you after you took down those pirates?"  
  
"Good day?"   
  
There was a smack as Kiyone slapped him on the forehead. "Oh,  
come on!"  
  
"Actually nothing much. Kinda along the lines of 'Oh, it's you people.  
Thanks for saving me now and hope you enjoy killing me later.'" He  
subsided into a frown, as his calf shrieked out a series of distressed  
nerve signals, and his thoughts returned to Seida. "I wonder where  
Seida really is?"  
  
"Wherever he is, definitely not here." Washu replied flatly. "Probably  
on his way to wherever he's going."  
  
"Maybe we should have checked the Comet first." Kiyone said. "At  
least those of us that were feeling better, rather than just let them  
off."  
  
"No, I don't think my old sensei works this way. He probably got out  
way before anything actually happened." His hand clenched into a  
fist as he thought how the man had been prepared to sacrifice his  
own crew as well as three hundred and fifty good marines just to  
facilitate an escape.  
  
"I'll say he's good all right." Washu answered. "He probably had the  
brains to dictate to this cyborg exactly what to say, in the most  
appropriate tone and inflection, or you would have recognised it was  
not him." She looked speculatively at the Tachyon Blaster in her  
hand. "Do you think he gave this back to us just so he could escape,  
or he has made some kind of arrangements so he could actually  
afford to return this?"  
  
Kova's brows knitted together. "Personally, I think he has got what  
he wanted. Not only is it not his style to give up something after  
getting it, I think he would be facing certain death back in the  
Syndicate if he loses a ship and a splendid weapon while not  
obtaining any substantial yield."  
  
Washu carefully turned the blaster over and over in her hand. "How  
long do you think he would take to build another one of this?"  
  
"Quite a while. I had to wrack my brains really hard just to figure out  
how to shrink it enough to fit it into the Shuriken, and I had a  
forty-year course back at the Science Academy."  
  
"Then I think I shall stay for a while more, before I go hunting for  
him." She thought about the Shuriken. "Kashiro, about…  
  
Kiyone saw she was going to press Kova for *his* weapons. "…my  
Yagami," Washu turned and looked at her somewhat acidly, but  
Kiyone ignored her displeasure. "I was wondering if you could get it  
done, at least the bridge, I may need to contact my HQ soon."  
  
Washu's gaze travelled from Kiyone to Kova, who shrugged, a wry  
smile on his face.  
  
"Oh, all right. I'll try to get the bridge section. From what I saw from  
my detector, the larger fragments are nearer the hull of the ship, so  
your ship must have been struck from behind. The bridge should be  
mostly intact, I'll just try to rig up some power source for it. But, if you  
want the whole ship back, you'll have to let me settle matters with  
Kashiro first, Kiyone."  
  
"Thank you, Washu." Kiyone bowed.  
  
"Glad to see you trust me, professor."  
  
"You won't run." She told him, confidently. "Not with Kiyone sticking  
her little finger into you like that."  
  
Kiyone and Kova both smiled nervously, especially at some images  
the metaphor evoked.  
  
"Honestly though, some time you'll have to tell me how the two of  
you hit off. Even Tenchi and Ryoko had a definitive article," she  
recalled the Adventures in Time and Space. "And that was a long  
while after they met. But for you two, all I recall is seeing Kiyone  
suddenly become a little more obtrusive," Kiyone rolled her eyes at  
the comment on her interjecting on Ryoko and Aeka's behalf. "And  
flustered. Besides, I'd like to know why you two didn't kill each other  
the day you met."  
  
"You're pretty nosy for an academic, professor."  
  
"I live to learn." Washu answered. "Besides, there are some things  
not even scientific knowledge of pheromones, hormones and other  
biochemical reactions can explain."  
  
For a reply, Kiyone winked at Kova, who winked back.  
  
Washu cogitated for a while, wondering if she should test out their  
footing and confidence.   
  
Well, here goes…  
  
"Maybe you can invite me to join your kids when you tell them about  
the two of you." And immediately regretted what she said.  
  
Both Kova and Kiyone closed their eyes, their faces ashen.  
  
"Our future is still a little… uncertain, Washu." Kiyone whispered,  
trying to hide the tremor in her voice.   
  
"Keep your questions to yourself, professor." Kova answered,  
tersely.  
  
The two turned as one, as their hands clasped together, and left the  
lab.  
  
===========================================================  
  
It was already quite late. Nobuyuki was sleeping on the couch again,  
after having understood his troubles were gone for good, while the  
rest of the company were sleeping in their respective quarters,  
having decided to have an early rest after dinner for the rigours of  
the day. Kiyone supported the slightly limping Kova as they emerged  
from the lab.  
  
"Let's go see this Karaoke room of yours, Kiyone." He murmured  
softly.   
  
Kiyone nodded, and the two proceeded on their way silently. Before  
long they stepped into the velvety darkness of the room.  
  
"This…is nice, Kiyone." He looked up at the glowing stars, feeling  
the heater cum air conditioner at work, and his fingers turned the dial  
for the light, so it was just barely glowing, before sitting down on the  
one seater sofa. Kiyone checked his calf injury, only to find it was  
bleeding badly again.  
  
"Medikit." She ordered.  
  
Kova produced it from his portal and passed it to her, as she  
carefully cut open the dressing, staunched the bleeding, and  
dressed it up in fresh bandages again.  
  
"Thank you, Kiyone-chan." He smiled as she got up. "I really owe  
you."  
  
"It's nothing, really. Though I wonder why is it you always get struck  
there?"  
  
He shrugged. "Pure bad luck, I guess. How's your back?"  
  
"It ought to be better now." She plonked herself on the main sofa,  
perpendicular to Kova's seat and facing the television set. The faint  
glow of the lights gave the room a soft, comfortable feel, accentuated  
by the dark coloured furniture that made it seem they were all alone  
in the velvet night, with the soft glow of the stars keeping vigil over  
them.  
  
Kova closed his eyes with a faint smile, breathed in deeply and  
leaned back with his hands behind his head, feeling his weary body  
sink into the softness of the single seat sofa. She watched him,  
sitting in the chair like a man in his own house after a hard day of  
work.  
  
With his own family…  
  
"Kova-chan?"  
  
"Hmmm?"  
  
"Do you…" Kiyone's voice trembled, and she stopped, trying to  
prevent her voice from catching in her throat. "…really want…" Her  
eyes shut tight, trying to blot out the images she could feel starting to  
rise from the depths of her minds again.   
  
Her dreams.  
  
By themselves they were wonderful, but their beauty made  
nightmares ever so unbearably painful, marred reality for the high  
propensity for darkness it held.  
  
She felt someone move and settle down beside her, and a hand  
rested on her shoulder.  
  
"Of course I do," his tender, sincere voice whispered by her ear, and  
she felt his lips brush her cheeks. "To share my future, my life, with  
you, is all I could ever ask for."  
  
"I know," Kiyone pressed her lips tight together, regaining her  
composure and raised her head to face him, only to see the sadness  
radiating in his eyes. "You're worried about it too, aren't you?"  
  
Kova nodded. "Back there… I thought I had lost you."  
  
The boundless universe of dazzling rose light returned to him, like  
an endless road to an eternity of loneliness.  
  
"I thought I was going to die." He felt himself grow cold at the  
memory. "All alone in the light, lost forever. It hurt…"  
  
Kiyone put an arm around him, pulling him over before her. "You  
must have been very scared."  
  
"I was." A pause. "And I still am."   
  
She could feel his arms tighten around her, as he seemed to draw  
comfort from her warmth, her proximity, from the fact that she was  
with him.  
  
I never thought it would be like this.  
  
When I first met him, I could never have anticipated him so weak, so  
in need of me. Nor did I expect myself to be so affected by him either.  
He reluctantly admits to being physically injured, yet he is so open  
about his inner fears for me, for us.   
  
Which only goes to show how much I mean to him.  
  
Love is so debilitating! The old Kiyone shrieked at her. Drop it, you  
don't need it!  
  
But I do… She smiled sadly.  
  
"Kiyone-chan, will it always hurt so much?" He asked. "Will every  
time be so painful?" He thought back to the heart-wrenching agony,  
both in space and in the elevator shaft of the Comet.  
  
"I think it will."  
  
"So that's why great lovers aren't particularly great adventurers." He  
murmured, his head resting lightly on her shoulder.   
  
Kiyone's hands stopped stroking his soft hair for a moment.  
"Kova-chan, are we…?"  
  
"Oh yes, I do believe we are in love," his expression was at once  
morose and yet radiant. "Very much so, in fact."  
  
"No, I meant, are we, the word after the first great…?"  
  
Kova raised his head off her shoulder and looked up in surprise as  
he felt her flesh flush warm to his touch. Kiyone blushed deeply, her  
eyes bashful yet somehow maintaining contact with his. The dim  
light that just illuminated their faces blended perfectly into the velvet  
darkness near the base of the room, while the stars above seemed to  
glow warmly like their hearts.  
  
"You know," Kova started uncertainly. "I am no great…" he left the  
word unspoken. "…, and from the time I met you, I didn't think you or  
I would want this for ourselves."  
  
"So did I. I thought it would only be when our future was assured."  
Kiyone answered, her voice soft. "I thought we would want to save it  
all up. But in that moment you thought you would lose me, you  
regretted, didn't you?"  
  
"So you know."  
  
"I felt it too. When your face fell from me, and left me looking on the  
insides of that shuttle. When I was in the escape capsule with  
Mihoshi. When I could feel your blood seeping into my uniform… It  
felt that way too."  
  
In the soft light of the room, everything seemed to fade into the  
background, until they could only see one another.  
  
He could feel himself flush warm too now, but not with  
embarrassment. "God, Kiyone, how could I ever have turned from  
you?"  
  
"Because you loved me." She replied. "So much you were afraid I  
would get hurt if something happened to you."  
  
"It hurts me so much now, sometimes I wonder how much worse it  
could get." He felt himself losing control, gradually. "Is it the same for  
you?"  
  
"Yes." She smiled. "How much worse could a little thing like this  
make it?"  
  
He looked at her uncertainly, trying to rally the remnants of his will  
against the rising flag of desire. There were some things he had read,  
some things he felt made sense. "Have you ever…?"  
  
Kiyone watched him, his words hanging in the air between them.  
Something in her told her to try something out, and her face coiled  
up in concentration as her eyes looked to the ceiling.  
  
Kova felt sweat bead on his brows, as the seconds ticked by, and  
Kiyone counted one, two, three on her fingers, pausing between  
every finger raised. Finally, she stopped at four.  
  
"Four?" He managed weakly, his mind foundering. "Times or men?"  
He dimly remembered something she told him before, could she  
have been ly…  
  
Well, that makes it less likely it will affect her much, right? His more  
animal side reminded.  
  
"No." She smiled playfully. "None. I didn't lie to you about men in my  
life." He sagged in relief. "The one thing where I'm behind Mihoshi.  
You're new to this too, aren't you?" She could tell by the  
semi-outraged look his face had adopted.  
  
"Yes. Apart from medical studies and…" He decided not to tell her  
his recent interest on nerve endings and simulation in certain parts  
of the human anatomy, specifically since after his lunch with her.  
"Yeah, that's about it."  
  
"I see." Kiyone suddenly reached forward and they kissed  
passionately, before their lips drew apart again. "Could tell, you tend  
to let your mind get too much in the way."  
  
For most part, his mind was a blank, but something inside dimly  
registered her words before he advanced on her. Kiyone leaned  
back, her lips teasing him, moving just slightly out of reach of his,  
while her hands stroked the front of his battlesuit as she lay back.  
  
'None'… his mind's thought to that earlier comment fought  
desperately against the mighty walls of desire, passion and instincts,  
but over a century of training and mental discipline finally managed  
to secure a tiny breach through the walls to him.  
  
Kova's mouth suddenly pulled back from over hers.  
  
"Kova-chan?" She looked up at him.   
  
"A lady's first time means a lot to her."   
  
"This certainly does, especially at this moment." Her eyes twinkled,  
unlike her usual self.  
  
Come on, what are you waiting for!? He felt something scream at  
him.  
  
"What's wrong?" Kiyone asked, fear showing in her eyes.  
  
She had never, ever offered herself before so willingly, and her heart  
constricted at the thought of rejection.  
  
"I need you to promise me something." He licked his lips, trying to  
stave off the primal hunger.  
  
"I'm all yours." She replied solemnly, and he knew she meant it in  
more ways than one.  
  
"Please…"   
  
Please agree, so we can get on with it! Cried the other Kova.  
  
"…promise me if anything happens to me…" He pursed his lips.  
"You will live."  
  
There was sudden silence.  
  
"You will live fully." A pause. "Without me, if need be."  
  
Kiyone looked into his earnest blue eyes, the dim light shining from  
behind him, making him seem dark and cold, like a dying star… "I…"  
  
"Promise me, swear it to me!" He begged, imploring.  
  
"I love you…" She managed, tears forming in her eyes. "I'm sorry,  
but you ask too much…" Her lower lip quivered. "Whether you are  
dead or alive, lost or by my side, I will never stop loving you…"  
  
"Damned you, say it! Just say it!" He cried, almost like he had on  
board the Yagami, while his mind raged at himself for forcing that  
question out. "Swear it so we can get on with this!" Kiyone looked at  
him, hurt, and he suddenly subsided. "Please Kiyone." He lapsed  
from his usual form of address. "I don't ask you to stop loving me."  
  
Kiyone nodded. "You ask me to love me more than I love you." She  
smiled bitterly. "Because you love me more than yourself." Tears  
glimmered from her eyes. "I'm sorry, Kova-chan."  
  
"All I ask is that you love yourself more than me… is that so hard?"  
The sapphire eyes beseeched her, not just his mind, but also his  
passion.  
  
"You love me more than yourself. Surely it is no different for me."  
She shook her head slightly, parrying. "I love you more than myself  
too." She fenced. "If I asked you to swear the opposite, could you?"  
And thrust. "Would you?" The emeralds pierced sapphire, and cut  
deep.  
  
"Then I'm sorry too," Kova drew back, almost in agony. "But I have  
to be sure, Kiyone-chan." He slowly let himself sit back, forcing his  
raging hormones down, then suddenly stood up and made for the  
door. Kiyone sat up from her prone position, eyes blazing.  
  
"KOVA!" Her tone was wrathful, yet somehow entreating. "Where do  
you think you're going!?"  
  
He paused for a good moment. "Don't worry," he replied, when he  
was sure of his answer and of his voice not faltering. "You don't  
mean anything less to me." He made to move out again.  
  
"Please, Kova …" She tried to hold back the ache inside her. "Don't  
leave me…"   
  
The flashback struck him so vividly he almost reeled.   
  
She was asleep again in the wan light of her apartment, crying out for  
him, crying for him.  
  
Let it be warm and comforting, let not the tears flow. Let it be a  
dream, a dream of light. Pray that the nightmares of the dark recede,  
that she be blessed with dream of bliss tonight.  
  
She watched, trying to hold back the tears, as his muscles twitched  
slightly in indecision, before he spun around rapidly, his movement a  
blur, and Kiyone had a sudden impression of a predator leaping on  
her. Somehow he managed to stop right beside her, his arms  
seemingly on the verge of encircling her and pinning her down, but  
not quite touching. She could feel his ragged breath, before her face,  
and his features were contorted once again in the agony of self  
denial. "I love you, and no other."   
  
She closed her eyes as his eager lips sought her again, but this time  
it was only to lightly brush hers. Her brow knitted in astonishment,  
and the emotional tension bottled within her came out as a sigh of  
weary uncertainty.  
  
"You tired?"  
  
She shook her head. "Not physically." Her hand ran down his hair,  
along the side of his face, stroking his neck gently, and she smiled  
as she felt him tingle at her every touch. "Don't reject me…"  
  
"I'm never will. But you still have to promise me…"  
  
Kiyone's eyes hardened. "No."  
  
"Pleasure has its price, so let's sleep," he whispered soothingly. "I'm  
sooo tired, Kiyone-chan." His voice dragged, growing softer. "Aren't  
you?"  
  
She felt her eyelids droop with his at his slurring voice, then they  
snapped open again. "Kova-chan, you can't sleep now!"  
  
"I'm sure." His eyes closed completely, and he half flopped, half  
rolled off onto the ground, landing face up as the visual paragon of  
peaceful slumber.  
  
She swore at him in frustration, and wild thoughts ran through her  
mind as she knelt beside him. His breathing was steady and even  
now, but she knew he was awake, for his body still felt rather warmer  
than usual  
  
Maybe I ought to kick him there… she slew the thought as an utter  
breach of trust.  
  
Or maybe I could…NO! I will not demean myself!  
  
Still clothed, she gently settled down in the narrow space  
between Kova and the sofa's base, and tried to snuggle in  
comfortably, while also in the process rubbing against his body.  
  
"If that's what you're trying to do, it won't work." He murmured, his  
lips moving slightly but otherwise perfectly still. "Worse things have  
come my way." He thought back to the ladies in the Science  
Academy, how he had disdainfully dismissed them, to their eternal  
chagrin and humiliation, which ensured they never did trouble him  
again. "For one thing, you're still fully clothed."  
  
Kiyone blushed, and cuddled in a little closer.  
  
I don't believe you're made of stone, Kova-chan!  
  
"If it helps for you to know, I rejected those before you because I  
didn't care and couldn't be bothered with them." His arm curled  
around Kiyone and drew her a little closer. "But I'm not rejecting you.  
I just have to be sure, because I do care for you."  
  
Kiyone sighed, finally deciding she had lost. "I understand." God, I'm  
tired. "You're scared too, aren't you?"  
  
"Mmmhmm." He yawned, trying to hide his discomfiture at the  
thought. "Let's sleep." Already he could feel her relaxing, and quickly  
quashed the pang of disappointment that welled from within. "We'll  
save it for our wedding night." He shifted slightly away so there was  
ample space for Kiyone to nestle in snugly between him and the  
couch.  
  
"Our dream…" She smiled as she closed her eyes, her hands placed  
against him.  
  
"To share. Good night, Kiyone-chan."  
  
"At least a good night kiss?"  
  
"With pleasure."  
  
===========================================================  
  
Yawning in weary irritation, Tenchi dragged himself out of his bed,  
bleary eyed, and reached for the alarm clock on his desk. There was  
another yawn of irritation, a slight growl, followed by a flash of  
orange. Then silence.  
  
He started into full awareness, as the charred gear of the clock spun  
lazily around the top of his desk, barely twenty centimetres from his  
fingers. Most of the rest of the contraption must have been  
vaporised, he decided, as the pathetic disc of metal rolled off the  
desk and landed with a dull clink on the floor.  
  
"RYOKO!" He shouted.  
  
"Hmmm…?" she rolled over slightly. "…want yawn sleep."  
  
"What do you think you're doing!"  
  
"Try… get sleep." The cyan haired lady shifted a little more in her  
futon on the floor.  
  
"You could have killed me!"  
  
"Huh…?" She turned over a little too quickly. "Ow! Damned, so much  
for sleeping…" Her amber eyes opened sluggishly.  
  
"How many times must I tell you *not* to blow things up around the  
house!?"  
  
"But, Tenchiii…! We were having so much fun together!"  
  
Tenchi's eyes widened. "Huh?"  
  
Ryoko continued, her eyes distant and far-away. "We were lying  
down in the garden on Jurai and you started…"  
  
Tenchi backed off nervously. "Erm, never mind, Ryoko."  
  
"But it was such a great dream!" She exclaimed, before giving him an  
appreciative and speculative look. "Want to continue with it, Tenchi?  
Here?" Ryoko felt her sleepiness seep away as she realised Tenchi  
was all alone with her. "Come on, you certainly look like you enjoyed  
it, at least back there, so why not here and now?"  
  
"I think I'll give it a pass."  
  
"Don't worry, I'm sure you'll enjoy it." Ryoko gave him a toothy grin,  
as she drew near, half stretching herself. "It'll be… ow!"  
  
"Are you all right?" Tenchi asked, stepping forward as Ryoko bent  
slightly forward, her hand reaching carefully for the wound in her  
side.  
  
"I'm fine, Tenchi." Ryoko cursed her injury, annulling yet another  
immeasurably precious moment all alone with Tenchi.  
  
"You want to rest here, while I go get breakfast for you?"  
  
She shook her head. "I'd like to eat with you, Tenchi. But thanks  
anyway, especially for insisting I rest in your room last night so you  
could watch over me." She remembered how Tenchi had explained  
things to a distraught Aeka.  
  
"It was nothing. I was so tired I fell asleep almost the minute I got in."  
He smiled deprecatingly at his own empty gesture. "I didn't do much  
watching over last night."  
  
Coming down the stairs, they found the living room empty, and  
Sasami sleeping on the floor of the kitchen, curled up into a foetal  
position.  
  
"She looks so cute like that." Ryoko commented.  
  
"Yeah, too bad…" Tenchi gently picked the little princess up,  
preparing to carry her to the living room so she could rest on a  
couch. "Give me a while, I'll go fix breakfast."  
  
Ryoko suddenly realised she ought to stop him, but it was too late…  
  
"Oh, Tenchi…" Sasami's eyes opened as he was about to leave the  
kitchen, and took in the bright sunlight around. "What time is it?"  
  
"I don't know, Sasami, I didn't get a chance to look at my clock, but it  
should be about ten in the morning." He looked oddly at her. "What  
were you doing in the kitchen?"  
  
"Oh, I got up early to make breakfast for your dad, and for the rest of  
you. It's in the stove there…" She pointed, and Ryoko scowled at the  
thought she and Tenchi might have got to eat breakfast all by  
themselves if only she had been a little more alert. "I guess I must  
have fell asleep waiting for you people to get up."  
  
Tenchi gently placed her on the ground. "Where's Ryo-oh-ki?"  
  
"Probably asleep somewhere in my room." She looked at Ryoko and  
Tenchi. "Say, are you both eating breakfast now?"  
  
"Uh yeah."  
  
"I'll go get Aeka up."  
  
===========================================================  
  
"I'm coming for breakfast too, give me a moment!"  
  
Sasami paused to let Ryo-oh-ki hop onto her head as her older sister  
rushed past her and down the steps, before more voices echoed up  
from downstairs.  
  
"Good morning Tenchi, I trust Ryoko did not disturb your rest last  
night?"  
  
"I slept fine, Aeka." Tenchi was going to add that she had scared him  
this morning though, but remembering how vehemently Aeka had  
opposed the idea of Ryoko sleeping in Tenchi's room, decided not to  
bring it up.  
  
"Miya."  
  
Sasami, ever ready for this, took a carrot out of her pocket and  
handed to Ryo-oh-ki.  
  
I wonder if Kiyone and Mihoshi have gone to work. They certainly  
would appreciate the breakfast I made for them.  
  
The door, which Washu had reinstalled last night immediately after  
dinner, materialised before her and she stepped through.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
Mihoshi was sound asleep in her futon, with two alarm clocks by her  
head. One had stopped ringing, probably because it had ran out of  
batteries, while the faint alarm from the other meant it would probably  
go off soon too. Beside her, Kiyone's futon had evidently not been  
slept in at all.  
  
"Mihoshi, Mihoshi?" Sasami switched off the dying alarm clock and  
shook her. "Mihoshi!"  
  
"Uhhhh…?" Mihoshi curled a little bit more, a smile curling up her  
face.  
  
This won't be getting me anywhere, Sasami decided. How *does*  
Kiyone wake her up every morning?  
  
She returned to Tenchi's house. "Tenchi, you know where Kiyone  
is?"  
  
"No." The voice came from below, as the other two feminine and  
seemingly more and more disgruntled voices quietened. "Isn't she  
with Mihoshi in her place?"  
  
Washu stepped out of her lab under Sasami who was peering down  
from the stairs, and stretched herself exaggeratedly.  
  
"Good morning, Washu!" The gang greeted.  
  
"It had better be." She ran her fingers through her hair, as if tidying  
them up a little. "Last night I fell asleep after clearing up the mess in  
my lab." Then blinked, trying to open her sleepy eyes. "Not of course  
that it was any trouble to clear it up, just that well, yesterday was  
pretty full of exertions."  
  
"I'm sure." Ryoko muttered sarcastically, then her ears caught up  
with her mind. "What mess?"  
  
"I'm sure you all remember Seida from the SSS Comet, don't you?"  
Washu answered. "Well, he wasn't exactly human."  
  
"That's new. Let me guess – he is a madman?"  
  
Aeka and Washu shot Ryoko a glance of irritation, while Tenchi's  
eyes flashed warningly, telling her not to cross Washu.  
  
The scientist crossed her hands over her chest and continued. "No,  
in fact he wasn't. He was a cyborg."  
  
"What?" Aeka asked, almost incredulously. "We went through all  
*that* and we didn't even get the person behind all our problems?"  
  
"I'm sorry to say, yes. But we got my Tachyon Blaster back, while  
Kashiro and Kiyone helped me wipe the floor of my lab with bits of  
Teranium – that's another one of our friends from early yesterday  
morning we won't be seeing again."  
  
"Kiyone, in your lab?" Sasami pressed. "I thought she and Mihoshi  
went back to their place to sleep, after dinner?"  
  
"Last time I saw, she was heading out here with Kashiro." Washu's  
gaze swept cursorily over the room. "If you're looking for her, she's  
probably somewhere around the house."  
  
"Most likely where?"  
  
"Let's see." In less than a millisecond, Washu's powerful brain  
computed all the probabilities necessary. Shed, outside or carrot  
fields practically nil, Masaki shrine unlikely due to Kova's slight limp,  
Sasami probably just been to her apartment, while Kova's apartment  
didn't exist anymore, and they weren't here…  
  
===========================================================  
  
She awoke to the air conditioned coolness amidst velvet darkness.  
The lights had been switched off, with only the glowing stars above,  
which had started to dim as they started expending their energy due  
to the absence of other light. She could hear Kova breathing gently  
beside her, one arm behind her and the other draped over her waist,  
while there was a fragrant aroma somewhere in the room, nearby  
that made her feel positively hungry.  
  
Sitting up slightly, careful not to disturb the seemingly slumbering  
Kova as her eyes adjusted to the darkness, Kiyone saw a dim metal  
stand on the table, with what seemed like two dishes for breakfast,  
and it seemed to radiate heat.  
  
"Mmm… delicious…" She was about to reach for it when…  
  
Dazzling light shone into the relatively dark room, blinding her for an  
instant, and she raised her hand instinctively.  
  
"Kiyone?" She heard a hi pitched voice ask. Sasami took in the  
scene before her as Tenchi moved over, and her eyes saw the man  
lying beside Kiyone, seemingly asleep. "Oooh…" Although of course  
the darkness meant their clothing went almost unnoticed.  
  
Tenchi quickly saw what caused Sasami to say that. "Erm, sorry to  
disturb…" He smiled sheepishly, half bowing, before quickly pulling  
the staring Sasami away. "Good night… I mean, morning…"  
  
Still stunned, Kiyone watched as Tenchi's silhouette pulled the  
protesting little princess away, and the door shut again, causing the  
darkness to return, albeit with little spots of light decorating the  
shadows now. She felt warm now though, before she finally realised  
her face was burning furiously…  
  
===========================================================  
  
"Was she in there?" Washu asked as she took her seat by the table.  
  
"Yeah, she was." Tenchi replied, trying to appear nonchalant, leading  
Sasami by the hand.  
  
"Oh, yes!" Sasami nodded enthusiastically. "So was …"  
  
"Hush…"Aeka catching the look in Tenchi's eye and Sasami's face,  
quickly pulled Sasami over to her. "Now, you didn't see anything, did  
you, Sasami?" But despite that her face was well, rather amused,  
and she seemed to be trying to prevent her smile from slipping into a  
wide curve of glee.  
  
"Bwahaha!" Ryoko of course, suffered no such restraint. "Hah,  
could you ever imagine… Kiyone… Hahaha! …to a *pirate*!"  
  
Something slammed open somewhere in the house. "I heard that!"  
Kiyone's face, stormy with emotion, appeared around the corner.   
  
"Oh, Kiyone…" Ryoko's voice quivered as she fought to hide her  
mirth. "Good morning." She grinned broadly. "How was last night?"  
Her amber eyes gleamed in amusement.  
  
"Look, we did *not*…" Kiyone shook a trembling index finger at  
them. "Repeat, did *not* do *anything*."  
  
"I'm sure…" Ryoko grinned, winking at Kiyone. "Aren't you too,  
Aeka?"   
  
"Well, I know that whatever it was, it is none of our business, Ryoko."  
She lowered her head to her food slightly, but Kiyone could see her  
smile. "Right, Sasami?" Her hand tightened around her sister's  
waist, who was making to go over, curiosity written all over her face.  
  
"But I want to know what happened!" Sasami told Aeka. "What are  
you all talking about?"  
  
Washu chuckled at the detective's discomfiture, and Tenchi couldn't  
help smiling despite himself and the certain amount of sympathy he  
felt for Kiyone. The situation was reminiscent of what he felt when  
Ryoko declared she had given birth to his baby what seemed a long  
time ago, though it was merely a year before.  
  
"No, Sasami." Aeka insisted.  
  
Ryoko smiled broadly across the table at Sasami. "Well, they…"  
Ryoko was inching closer to Tenchi, about to get up, and Aeka  
stiffened.  
  
Kiyone, face a deep scarlet, breathing hard with one hand on her GP  
blaster, decided if the space pirate was going to go graphic, she  
would open fire.  
  
Quickly making up his mind, Tenchi clamped his hand around  
Ryoko's mouth, to Ryoko's and Sasami's consternation, as well as to  
Aeka's and Kiyone's relief.  
  
Washu waved at Kiyone. "Well, come out, you two!" She glanced  
around the table. "Say, Sasami, where's Kiyone's and Mihoshi's  
share?"  
  
"Mihoshi's one is still in the stove. Kiyone's and Kova's seems to  
have disappeared though." Sasami answered, as Aeka continued  
eating and Tenchi gingerly let go of Ryoko's mouth.  
  
What the…? Kiyone remembered the food in the room…  
  
THE BASTARD!  
  
Sasami, seizing Aeka's momentary lapse of attention, made a run for  
it.   
  
"Sasami, get back here!"  
  
"Kiyone?" She asked, shaking the staring detective out of her  
stupor. "What happened last night?" The detective stared at her  
blankly. "Something to do with Kova, right?"  
  
In her current state of outrage, it was all Kiyone could do to stop  
herself from slapping Sasami hard on the forehead. Instead, she  
ignored Sasami's questions, and stepped back to the open doorway.  
  
"KOVA-CHAN!"  
  
The figure on the floor seem to remain still, but then the smile Kiyone  
thought she glimpsed could not having been purely imaginary, could  
it?  
  
"KOVA!" She shouted to the spy again.  
  
"Wha…?" He moved a bit, rolling over so he faced the door. "Oh  
good morning, Kiyone-chan…"  
  
Kiyone's eyes narrowed as she saw the crescent of white teeth like a  
Cheshire in the darkness.  
  
"Breakfast is ready." Kova adroitly leaped to his feet, and Kiyone  
noted he seemed to be wearing something apart from his battlesuit.  
"Thank you, Sasami."  
  
"Urm, yah." The blue-haired princess replied. "How did you get it  
here?"  
  
"I brought it in. Why *were* you sleeping in the kitchen? You looked  
so kawaii I couldn't bear to wake you up!"  
  
"Just fell asleep, I guess."  
  
Kiyone reached out beside her and turned up the light, her face grim.  
Kova was sitting behind the coffee table on the floor, with Sasami's  
breakfast in front of him, plus two cups of tea and a teapot, between  
their plates on the metal device that resembled like some kind of  
heater. He was no longer in his battlesuit, but wearing a zipped up  
black jacket with silver shoulder lines, and a pair of black trousers.  
  
"What time did you wake up, Kova-chan?" Kiyone's hands clenched  
and unclenched.  
  
"About two, then I went to have a bath and change, before coming  
back here. Then I got up at about seven to pick up breakfast for us."  
He smiled faintly at her. "Why?"  
  
"You were awake all the time, weren't you!?"  
  
"I guess," he gestured to the table. "Joining me for breakfast?"  
  
Kiyone tilted her head slightly up, closed her eyes and put her hand  
to her forehead.  
  
I guess there will always be moments like this. How in the world does  
he recover so fast?  
  
"Kova-chan, you know *what* they're thinking outside?"  
  
"I should think so. Ryoko is loud enough." He picked up the teapot  
and poured a cup each for himself and Kiyone. "Take a seat, please."  
  
"What is it you're talking about?" Sasami pressed, gently tugging at  
Kiyone's GP uniform. "What is it they are thinking?"  
  
Kiyone ignored her. "Look, Kova-chan, they…"  
  
"… can believe what they choose to believe." He looked up at her,  
light glinting off his azure eyes. "I don't give a damn."  
  
That was the whole problem, wasn't it? She heard her mind say. Like  
Ryoko, he sometimes didn't seem to care what other people think.  
  
She walked over, leaving Sasami standing dissatisfied in the  
doorway, and sat down before him. "Look, Kova-chan. I care."  
  
"Why?" His eyebrows arched. "We love each other, don't we?" He  
sipped at his tea. "Besides, they would be right, except you didn't  
allow me to."  
  
"Allow you…" She gnashed her teeth together. "*Allow* you!" She  
stood up, her hands slamming into the coffee table as she shouted  
out loud. "*You* were the one who refused *me*!!"  
  
He glanced at her hands, then looked up at her, his face cold and  
eyes piercing. "I thought you always wanted someone to love you  
more than your body." His voice seemed calm, but there were  
undercurrents of emotions running through it. "I have shown you  
that."  
  
Kiyone stared at him, as she felt his words strike deep, ring true. "I…  
don't want there to be anything between us…"  
  
"You're worried someday something might happen. And you want us  
to share everything in case that should happen." He gave a cold  
smile. "What I worry about is that someday something might happen,  
and what I want is that if it happens to me, you must go on, by  
yourself."   
  
Kiyone nodded. "Even if I may lose you, I wish to love you. Though it  
will hurt me that much more if anything happens."  
  
"And though every fibre of my being yearns for you so much it burns  
like fire, I will *not* love you until you promise me *that*."  
  
Kiyone ground her teeth together. "I think we should just eat."  
  
Kova nodded, drained his cup of tea in a gulp, and poured another  
one for himself as they brought their plates down before them.  
"You're late for work, you know. I could call them up…"  
  
"To hell with that job, and no thank you."  
  
Sasami stood frozen in the doorway, as they continued eating in  
silence, before moving off.  
  
===========================================================  
  
Washu, Aeka, Ryoko and Tenchi stared as Kiyone briskly stepped up  
the stairs, her clouded face the only hint of anything wrong. Then  
she paused halfway, came back down, walked towards and past,  
into the kitchen. Even Ryoko had the sense to keep quiet, before  
Kiyone silently stalked out, holding Mihoshi's breakfast, and  
disappeared up the stairs.  
  
A while later, Kova came out around the corner, carrying the plates.  
He looked fresh as usual, but there was a slight lag in his steps and  
his eyes, though awake and open, seemed a little lacklustre.  
  
"Good morning," He smiled faintly, and continued on his way to the  
kitchen.  
  
Aeka turned to Sasami, who was the only one discreetly picking at  
her food. "What happened, Sasami?"  
  
"Huh?" She looked up, a little distractedly. "I don't really know…"  
  
Aeka's eyes widened. "Sasami, did you see…!"  
  
"Nothing really." She replied, her voice low. "They sort of…  
quarrelled." Four sets of questioning eyes bore into her. "I didn't  
know what they were talking about." Then accusingly. "You wouldn't  
tell me."  
  
There was a sound of washing in the kitchen, and Kova stepped out.  
He regarded the table, a faint sardonic smile on his face, seemingly  
half directed at himself, half at the others. "Good morning." He  
repeated faintly, standing there for a moment before walking out of  
the Masaki household into the field.  
  
"Gee, wonder what's biting him?" Ryoko mumbled, chopsticks half  
in her mouth. "He got to go the girl, right?"  
  
"Ryoko, Kiyone said nothing happened." Tenchi reminded,  
sounding somewhat put off.  
  
"Well, how do we know?"  
  
Sasami hesitantly raised a hand. "They said they didn't, whatever it  
was… At least it sounded that way."  
  
"Hmm, you sure?" Aeka finally gave in to curiosity.   
  
Washu shook her head at the congregation, thinking how juvenile  
they were, but if Sasami didn't catch anything wrongly, it could  
provide interesting insights, so she kept her comments to herself  
first.  
  
"Well, Kova said something about not being allowed to, and Kiyone  
was so mad she got up and shouted at him, then Kova said  
something, and then they talked a little more about something  
happening, before started eating quietly." She lowered her face.  
"Real quietly."  
  
Washu raised her eyebrows in surprise. Surely they weren't worried  
about the consequences of that? She had almost never seen  
anybody so much in love, and those she had certainly didn't seem  
worried at all about that easily overcome problem, nor for that matter  
anything else at all…  
  
"Yeah right, you expect *me* to believe *nothing* went on all night  
and he's cross 'cos he didn't get to jack off, huh?" Ryoko added, her  
demeanour sceptical and disinterested.  
  
Tenchi sighed in exasperation. "Ryoko…"  
  
Sasami glared angrily at the space pirate, then abruptly announced.  
"I'm not cooking today." Before taking her plate and walking off into  
the kitchen.  
  
Washu frowned a little. "I'll be in my lab if you want me."  
  
Ryoko watched as the half the table emptied. "Hey, where's  
everyone going?" She whined. "What did I do? All I did was  
comment…"  
  
"It's all your fault," Aeka chided. "You and your remarks."  
  
"Are you trying to say I should have shut up!?" Ryoko growled.  
  
"Why yes!" Aeka feigned astonishment, though her tone was a little  
dangerously inviting. "My, aren't we smart today?"  
  
Well, Tenchi consoled himself. That is an improvement of sorts,  
Ryoko's hands haven't started to crackle with energy yet.  
  
"I'll have you know, princess, that you're crapping bullshit!"  
  
"Me? Doing what!?" Aeka shrieked back. "I am a princess, I will not  
have such cheek given to me of, by all *things*, the scum of space!"   
  
Tenchi wondered what they would do if he took out Tenchi-ken,  
which was still in his pocket. "Please, Aeka, Ryoko!"  
  
"But Tenchiii!" Ryoko howled. "She *insulted* me! *First!*"  
  
"She was the one who started all this!" Aeka shrilled back. "If it  
weren't for *her*…"  
  
Well, not a bad improvement, I didn't have to shout that loud to get  
their attention.  
  
Tenchi took a deep breath. "Fine, then," and stood up. "I'm off. The  
two of you can go kill each other if you like, but I'm swear the  
murderer will get nothing from me." He turned away, then paused.  
"Maybe one or two fatal swipes from Tenchi-ken." He smiled as  
Ryoko and Aeka felt beads of sweat form on their heads. "Maybe."  
He grinned to himself. Being around Kova did have some side  
effects.  
  
Aeka stared at Ryoko, then they both sagged as Tenchi left the  
house.  
  
"We will have to work something out." Aeka mumbled.  
  
"Yeah." Ryoko added. "Fast."  
  
===========================================================  
  
Tenchi felt strong fingers lock around his wrist…  
  
"Whooaa!" He exclaimed, as he was jerked forward, causing him to  
tumble over the spy's shoulder.  
  
"Oh, it's you." An upside down Kova looked at him, not unkindly, but  
not happily either. "I'm sorry, but I do not appreciate anyone  
touching me, especially if the person is coming from behind."  
Although he was addressing Tenchi, his eyes were distant, staring  
out in the distance, over the carrot fields, beyond the hills shrouded  
in the vibrant flora of summer, across the horizon, into the cerulean  
morning sky. Unlike just a moment ago when he had wished them  
good morning, he no longer had a faint smile hovering on his face,  
but was just plain grave.  
  
Tenchi took his proffered hand and righted himself. "You seem  
upset."  
  
"Maybe. Who knows?"  
  
"Kiyone?" Tenchi felt like he was stepping on thin ice, as Kova  
looked so distant and cold, his expression both brittle and empty.  
  
"Likely."  
  
Tenchi settled down beside him, watching the distant scenery.  
  
You love her, don't you? But that was such a stupid thing to say,  
which also goes to show caution does affect Tenchi's mind, if only  
making him a little smarter.  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"Nothing."   
  
Tenchi thought he saw Kova's expression harden. "You mind?"  
  
"All she had to do was say yes."  
  
Tenchi's mind reeled in surprise. In his opinion, if Kiyone did not say  
yes, she would not wake up beside you on the floor. Probably with  
you decorating various parts of the room, maybe, but not with you by  
her side.  
  
Something clicked in his mind. "Erm, what did you ask her?"  
  
Kova stared at him, his expression a mix of annoyance and  
confusion. "It's none of your…"  
  
What was wrong with telling him, Tenchi was quite possibly the  
nicest a guy could get, I have nothing to lose and he won't harm  
me…  
  
Tenchi watched as Kova closed his eyes, almost wearily. "I wanted  
her to promise she would get on without me." He sighed, his fringe  
wavering slightly before his breath. "She refused."  
  
Tenchi tried, but he could not stop himself on time. "You *what*!?"  
Young though he was, he knew enough about the average man to  
know about the existence of hormones and their strength.  
  
"Yeah, and she didn't let me." He murmured, almost to himself.  
Another soft breath of what sounded like sorrow, then Kova dunked  
himself back on the grass, stretching the full length of his body, his  
eyes still closed restfully.  
  
"I'm sorry." Tenchi's mind mustered itself. He wasn't used to dealing  
with such strange things.  
  
So there isn't just one Tenchi, is there?  
  
"Well, if it's any consolation, I just wonder…" His voice was distant,  
his strained features softened, as the blue hair seemed to stir, as if  
touched by a breath of fresh air, and his eyelids seemed no longer  
pressed tightly together, but just gently closed. "…if she will love our  
wedding night that much more for it all." A tender smile played on his  
face for a moment, and Tenchi suddenly felt as though he gazed, not  
merely upon Kova, but almost as if some angel had decided to stop  
by within the man, before it vanished again, the ephemeral touch of  
light from some far away hope. "How I wonder…"  
  
He watched the figure before him, trying to envisage the world Kova  
was looking into, wishing he could see that far ahead. Or was it *too*  
far ahead…?   
  
"I'm sure you'll make it, Kova."  
  
"Thank you, Tenchi." He whispered. "Once again I'm in your debt."  
  
Tenchi nodded.  
  
"How about you, Ryoko and Aeka?"  
  
He blinked, surprised. "Well, things have been the same as ever.  
They still try to fight, but I think I put one over them a while ago."  
  
"Good for you. You'll learn." He nodded, glad for the distraction.  
"Unless you have decided who to choose yet, which I genuinely  
doubt." A pause, "*Who* are you going to choose anyway?"  
  
Another stretch of long silence. "I don't know. Honestly."  
  
"Would you take both of them?"  
  
Tenchi nodded. "But only if they could be happy with that."  
  
"I see."  
  
"Could you do us a favour, Kova?"  
  
"Hmm? How?"  
  
"Cook? Lunch and dinner?"  
  
He thought a bit, considering its value as a distraction, and nodded.  
"Yeah, no problem."  
  
===========================================================  
  
"Destination Solar System, ETA 40 minutes."  
  
"That's 'real' good," he sat back, stretching again. His co pilot looked  
back at him, with his fingers dancing recklessly around the small  
gun. His green eyes were dead and weary, and he looked as if he  
had drunk several pints too much. "Can't you hic! make Midorishu  
go any faster?"  
  
"Believe me, Number 231, I'm doing my best." The person steering  
retorted. "Why don't you pick someone else next time?"  
  
His brows knitted in annoyance. "You know damned well why I  
chose you. You knew her well, better than I ever could." His hands  
raised the bottle to his lips. "Plus you were blacklisted, and this  
could be the only way you're going to get your big break."  
  
Of course I know that, you idiot! If it weren't for that, I'd report for you  
for insubordination, theft and letting personal interests interfere with  
your duties!  
  
"I know, I know." The ship slowed as they drew closer to the Solar  
System, no longer travelling at interspace travel speeds, as caution  
demands. "I hope this works, or I am finished."  
  
"Yeah right, like I give a damn." He said. "I just hope she's fine." The  
emerald eyes dimmed. "I just *pray*."  
  
"If she's not?" The co pilot seemed cheered by the prospect, but she  
took care not to let it show.  
  
"Then someone will have *hell* to pay."  
  
===========================================================  
  
It was late afternoon, and Washu watched in satisfaction as the  
readout was confirmed, regarding the co-ordinates of the bridge of  
the Yagami. Engaging several systems, she selected the matter  
transportation sequence, and pressed some more at her terminal,  
creating a large section of blank space in her lab.  
  
She smiled at her handiwork as the control room materialised in the  
lab, fitting the dimensions nicely. A couple of elementary link ups,  
and the Yagami's darkened bridge lighted up. Washu picked up a  
device and left the lab.  
  
"What's that, Washu?" Tenchi and Kova asked simultaneously, as  
the spy put down the phone. Tenchi had just directed him towards  
applying for a new apartment.  
  
"This?" Washu raised the mini transmission device up. "It's to allow  
Yagami to receive or send transmissions into this dimension while  
remaining in my lab."  
  
"You've fixed it already?" Kova looked incredulous.  
  
Washu nodded, pleasure dancing in her eyes at Kova's inadvertent  
admission of her superiority. "I've set up the bridge and this opens  
up the communications, though it was nothing much really, much of  
the front of the Yagami was left intact, just a few minor patches here  
and there, which is really less than no trouble for a scientist as smart  
as me!" Washu beamed.  
  
"So you…?"  
  
"Yup, when Kiyone comes back she will be able to contact her HQ."  
  
Tenchi saw Kova's face darken at the thought, while Washu  
conducted herself to the outside, seemingly oblivious to anything.  
Then the spy shook his head, and returned to his terminal.  
  
"What are you doing?"  
  
"Configuring this terminal to do body scans. I could use it for my  
future practice." Kova had requested the laptop from Washu when  
she praised him for the fine lunch he cooked, which Sasami had  
helped improve by adding condiments to it, although she did not  
cook . Unfortunately, he was still upset about when Kiyone had  
called back to say they were not eating, having been forced to do  
overtime for the very late arrival at the Steel Enterprises, as well as  
taking a pay cut for yesterday's absence.  
  
She would have loved it. Even though I've kept it for them, it wouldn't  
be the same.  
  
"I see." Tenchi sat back, recalling how Kova's expression had  
darkened when Washu went by. "Are you worried about the GP?"  
  
"Don't you have something else to do, Tenchi?" He muttered. It was  
so hard to concentrate, to try to lose himself in his task in order to  
temporarily forget his problems, but here Tenchi was going on and  
on. "I'm sure Aeka and Ryoko would be only too happy to oblige…"  
  
"Oh, they went to the city via Kiyone's apartment for shopping." He  
replied. "They said they had some sorting out to do." It was a fair  
price to hand over his wallet and account card to Aeka (not Ryoko!),  
in return for a more peaceful, albeit lonely, afternoon. Although they  
promised they wouldn't fight, and seemed rather glad to be alone  
with each other to discuss and buy whatever they needed, he had  
some nagging doubts, so he had asked Sasami to go along, and the  
two girls didn't seem to mind.  
  
"I see. Why didn't you join them?"  
  
"They didn't ask me to, actually." That was a rather strong hint that  
they wanted some time without him following them. "I thought they  
might not have appreciated my presence."  
  
"Growing wiser already, Tenchi." Kova smiled slightly, eyes not  
leaving his laptop.  
  
"Maybe," he tried to fathom Kova's expression. "Worried about  
Kiyone?"  
  
A silver blur arced out and struck the unsuspecting Tenchi on the  
head. "OW!"  
  
"Not wise enough," Kova tossed his weapon up and down in one  
hand, as the other hand continued entering commands.. Tenchi,  
rubbing his head, decided he had best leave the man be.  
  
Just before Kova returned to his self-appointed task, a thought  
struck him. It would not have been beyond Tenchi's rights to order  
him out of the house for hitting and bullying him, but somehow the  
boy seemed to be able to take it all in his stride.  
  
He shook his head and smiled.  
  
Tenchi is quite possibly the kindest soul alive.  
  
===========================================================  
  
"Excuse me a moment!" Kiyone hurried out from behind the counter,  
rushing to the sound of the beeping from her GP alert ring.  
  
Washu must have fixed up Yagami, and there's a transmission for  
me!  
  
"Hey!" The manager shouted.  
  
"You can forget about my pay for today!" She glanced back at  
Mihoshi who was about to leave too. "Mihoshi, stay! We need the  
money!"  
  
"But Kiyone…"  
  
"You stay here till our shift is over, it's only half an hour more, okay?"  
  
Mihoshi looked glum.  
  
"Please, Mihoshi…" Kiyone begged. "We've already got docked pay  
from this morning, any less and we shan't even be able to afford the  
rent on our apartment."  
  
Mihoshi sighed, and nodded glumly. The manager didn't seem at all  
satisfied, but there was nothing more that could be said before  
Kiyone disappeared into the toilet, then emerging seconds later in  
her standard GP uniform, tossing the restaurant staff outfit onto the  
counter and vanishing out the door.  
  
===========================================================  
  
'Acknowledgement detected from Earth, source Yagami.'  
  
The officer sat back with a sigh of relief, and he felt tears of joy form  
in his eyes.  
  
She's alive!  
  
Kiyone's face appeared on the screen. "2nd Class Chief Inspector  
Kiyone Makibi reporting."  
  
"Galaxy Police Special Forces Operative number 231 here."   
  
The officer in question had a handsome, almost feline, face with high  
cheekbones and sharp chin, red a little from drinking, topped with  
emerald eyes that seemed to radiate warmth at her, and had a wet,  
glistening shine in them. But the strangest thing was that the man  
had a head of fine dark green hair, practically identical to her own,  
which were parted, with a long lock of hair curling down past the left  
half of his face, while the hair on the right side of his parting was tied  
and flowing down the back of his neck.  
  
"Excuse me, Operative 231, but have I seen you before?"  
  
The man smiled warmly, his expression oddly familiar, reminiscent of  
the time Kova opened the escape capsule, only more controlled and  
less obvious. "You have always been very sharp, Chief Inspector."  
His face lighted up meaningfully. "Maybe we could find time to  
talk…"  
  
"Maybe." Kiyone licked her lips. She was still upset with Kova for the  
previous night, as well as the morning, but… "But I have to warn you  
I'm not very open to such propositions at this point in time."  
  
"That won't be a problem," he grinned. He *was* handsome, and  
Kiyone felt almost sure that if she had met him earlier she should  
have fallen for him, but for some reason, she just found the very  
notion as impossible and alien as falling for her…  
  
"Put her through, number 231!" A voice sounded sharply from the  
other side of the tranmission, disrupting her train of thoughts before  
she could complete it.  
  
The SpecOp frowned... "Hey, give me some more time with her!" He  
seemed to be speaking to someone else.  
  
"No! The Section Chief has said he wished to speak to her, ASAP!"  
The voice sounded familiar.  
  
"Look, I am the superior officer here…"  
  
"And I can crash your precious Midorishu if I want." Kiyone tried to  
remember the female voice.  
  
"You wouldn't dare." The operative looked angrily. "I'd rip your arm  
off if you…"  
  
"Yeah, and get stranded in space."   
  
Kiyone finally recalled it. "Mitsuki?"  
  
The unseen person lowered her face from standing by the SpecOp,  
and sure enough, the thin brunette's pointed face showed up. The  
officer seated seemed to edge away from her, not nervously, but in  
dislike. "I'm so happy to see you're fine, Kiyone!" She waved, her  
face too glad to be the person arguing a moment ago. "You're as  
sharp as ever."  
  
"Glad you noticed." Kiyone responded drily. She had never quite  
forgiven Mitsuki for the attempted arrest on her back at HQ, and had  
noted that through all the time Mitsuki served her after the Kagato  
episode the officer always put up a satisfied, fawning front, while  
becoming disgruntled and grumbling when she thought she was  
alone. "Don't smile till your face splits!" She replied too cheerily,  
while mentally noting that would be an improvement for Mitsuki  
  
The officer in the background smirked, clearly noting the abundance  
of 'feeling' Kiyone shared with him with regards to 1st class detective  
Mitsuki.  
  
"All right, I'll put you through to the HQ now!" Mitsuki, seizing  
advantage her proximity to the transmission controls, quickly  
pressed the button, the pleasure not fading from her face for an  
instant. Kiyone thought she saw number 231's face contort in fury as  
he pulled her back and away, before the transmission from the  
Midorishu was cut off.  
  
Half a second later, the Section Chief's face flashed onto the screen.  
"Oh, it's you, Chief Inspector Kiyone!" His eyes darted around her.  
"Where's your partner Mihoshi?"  
  
"She is currently not available, sir. This report will be submitted by  
me alone." As she said that she could hear someone tapping his foot  
softly behind, as if to make his presence known, before subsiding  
into silence as she stopped talking.  
  
If that was Washu, she would just have shouted. So it must be *him*.  
  
"All right. What happened?"  
  
"The Yagami was attacked by the SSS shuttle, but me and Mihoshi  
managed to get out before the ship blew up. Washu was the one who  
got the bridge up and running again, but I'm afraid it will be quite a  
while, sir, before the Yagami can be put out to space again."  
  
"Hmm, you seem to have been very lucky." He nodded.  
  
"Pardon my interruption sir, but I have reason to believe the Synera  
Stellar Syndicate is the one that attacked the Yagami and should not  
be trusted."  
  
"I'm sorry, but I understood that the shuttles were controlled by  
some space pirates, were they not?" His expression hardened.  
"Specifically a certain Kova Kashiro."  
  
"After destroying the Yagami, the shuttle returned to the Comet. If  
there truly were space pirates on board, how could that be  
possible?"  
  
Mitsuki and the Operative stared at the two ongoing transmissions,  
noting Kiyone's strained expression. Mitsuki shook her head. "Poor  
Kiyone. All the work must be affecting her head."  
  
"Shut up, bitch." Operative 231 murmured. "I still have a bone to pick  
with you for cutting me off from her."  
  
Back before Kiyone, the Section Chief shook his head. "I'm sorry,  
but I have certain information about the abilities of the Comet, which  
states they can overrule their own shuttle controls within a certain  
radius of the Comet, so after you slowed them down, they managed  
to get in range."  
  
"But I have very strong reasons to believe the personnel on board  
the Comet were…"  
  
"Yes, we have evidence that the above mentioned space pirate crept  
on board the ship, and impersonated the captain of the Comet, thus  
causing some regrettable violence on board the Comet." He waved a  
slim file at Kiyone. "It's all here in the report from the Comet's crew."  
  
Kiyone heard a low snarl behind her. "But sir! I have people here,  
Tenchi, professor Washu, princess Aeka, they can all substantiate  
my evidence!"  
  
The Section Chief nodded comfortingly. "I believe you, Kiyone. In  
terms of events, your view coincides precisely of that in this report."  
His tone was cool, assuaging but still skeptical. "But there are events  
that you are not aware of. By all accounts, in fact my personal  
experience, the Comet's Captain was in a shuttle outside the ship at  
the time of all those things happening, so how could it possibly be  
him?"  
  
Kiyone ground her teeth together, trying not to let her rage show.  
"With all due respect sir, why do you need me to submit a report  
when you already have what you need?"  
  
The Chief's eyebrows drew together, his demeanour clearly  
dissatisfied. "Firstly, it is my duty to ensure the safety of all my  
officers. Secondly, I need to know how you and your partner  
survived the Yagami's destruction and what happened to the ship. I  
also need to know how your assignment is going."  
  
"Assignment?" Kiyone looked up for a moment, then she  
remembered.  
  
Kova's eyes narrowed as he saw her tremble slightly, before  
composing herself and carrying on as if nothing happened.  
  
"She will have nothing to worry about once I get there." The  
Operative mumbled to himself, flexing his arm muscles, and his  
rippling biceps showed even through his uniform.  
  
"Maybe," Mitsuki commented. "Kiyone doesn't scare easily, and if  
she is that worried, you'd better be prepared for a tough time,  
whatever this Kova Kashiro guy is."  
  
"Bring 'em on!" The officer slammed his right fist into his other palm,  
and cracked his knuckles belligerently. "I'd like to see them take me  
out."  
  
Mitsuki nodded, her mind chiming silently, 'So would I.'  
  
Kiyone took a deep breath and continued. "I'm afraid we have been  
unable to apprehend the criminal, even with aid from Washu and  
Tenchi. Fortunately, we are aware of his whereabouts…" Kiyone  
ignored another snort of derision from behind. "… and are currently  
seeking a peaceful compromise with him."  
  
"What? What compromise is there!?" The Chief growled. "He  
destroyed your ship, engineered an encounter between you and the  
Synereans, causing injury to some of you and resulting in the deaths  
of over sixty good marines! And you still wish to compromise?"  
  
"Sir, I think…"  
  
"Officer Kiyone Makibi, I'm afraid you have been working too hard.  
That man is dangerous, he can wear a myriad of faces, put on  
countless fronts! How can you even think of parleying with him?"  
His expression was incredulous.   
  
Kiyone closed her eyes as she heard knuckles crack behind her.  
  
Kova, please, get out of here!  
  
"We might be able to…"  
  
"NO!" The Chief replied. "It is written, clear as crystal, this man must  
be eliminated at all costs. The SSS no longer require him to be  
captured, as long as proof of his death is presented. Such is his  
record and the stakes that there are no terms you can offer him.  
Either by our hands or by the hands of the SSS, only death awaits  
him, and there is nothing to be said about that. As for you, you are to  
do your best in apprehending him, and if necessary eliminate him if  
he resists."  
  
How *dare* you talk about him like he was just another dangerous  
pest to be exterminated!?  
  
Kiyone's eyes narrowed imperceptibly, before she stood up, her face  
full of anger  
  
"I will NOT!" She shouted at the Chief. "He is *NOT* a heartless  
criminal!"  
  
Mitsuki felt her mind laugh with glee.   
  
At last, Kiyone, at last, you make a mistake…  
  
"You forget yourself, Chief Inspector." The Chief's eyes grew cold  
and his expression hardened. "I will *not* have you endangering  
your own and your partner's lives on this futile crusade of  
conversion." His bearing became authoritarian, as Kiyone recovered  
her wits.  
  
Oh no, what have I done!? She heard herself cry inside.  
  
The Chief read out his verdict. "I hereby declare you unfit for further  
overseeing or execution of this assignment. You are relieved of  
command over the assignment to capture Kova Kashiro, and shall  
be replaced by Special Operative Number 231, who is in transit to the  
System, along with his pilot 1st class detective Mitsuki."  
  
"Sir!" She tried. "There…"  
  
"…is no room for further discussion, unless you succeed in  
apprehending him without any strings attached, as there are none  
that you are authorised to deploy." His eyes were grim and impatient.  
"You are to have no say in the decisions made by Operative 231, and  
are to assist him to the best of your capabilities in this mission. If by  
any chance he orders you to do something, you are to obey him to  
the letter. Any direct insubordination will be reported and will have  
standard repercussions, including demotion." Kiyone flinched a little  
at that remark. "Should your team succeed, you shall be duly  
rewarded, *with* consideration of this small episode."  
  
Kiyone sagged back in her seat, her face distraught.  
  
How am I going to save him? Isn't there a way to avoid trying to hurt  
him?  
  
"Do I make myself clear, Chief Inspector?"  
  
"Y…yes." A long pause, her voice tremulous. "Sir."  
  
"Any final questions?"  
  
"If I find a way to avoid bloodshed in this?" Kiyone pleaded.  
  
"They should not be considered at all unless it involves total  
incarceration of the criminal so that he has no ability to endanger any  
one on this assignment. If there are any such complete surrenders,  
report them to Operative 231, he will decide this criminal's fate."  
  
Kiyone's brows knitted again. "He is *not*…"  
  
"QUIET! You are no longer in charge of this assignment, and don't  
you dare presume to give me orders like that!" He told her, then his  
eyes widened. Mitsuki and Operative 231 also stared.  
  
Kiyone felt her body grow cold as a chill point metal pressed hard on  
her temple.  
  
"…Kova-chan?" Her lips barely moved, and the people watching the  
transmission could not make out the soft sound.  
  
The grim figure standing beside her, invisible to the Midorishu and  
the Section Chief, remained silent.  
  
Faster than thought, Kiyone was thrown off the seat, away from the  
metal rod, as her GP Blaster held by the unknown assailant shot out  
a gold laser, and she heard a voice like her own scream out in pain  
as the beam skimmed over her head.  
  
"Kiyone!" Operative 231 cried out, anger, apprehension and anguish  
permeating his voice, and was heard only by the stunned Mitsuki.  
  
Kova's face, devoid of human feeling, appeared on the transmission  
screen. "I fulfil your request, Chief." His eyes blazed in fury. "She  
won't ever have to report to you again."  
  
The Section Chief and the inmates of the Midorishu could only watch  
as the transmission from the Yagami was cut off, as well as Kiyone's  
fresh scream of agony.  
  
=== End of Chapter ===  
  
PLEASE REVIEW! Readers are the author's motivation!  
  
NOTES:  
Kova is in a way, an SIed character. Pls include him in your  
comments, whether I have portrayed him as a person, as a friend  
or foe, as one of the gang, and most importantly, as a human being.  
I have some pictures of him, not too good pencil drawings, if you  
wish to take a look pls mail me.  
  
I have decided to continue writing chapters at this length  
  
The start of this chapter is a little anti-climactic, action  
wise, and there is a lot more before Darkness and Light ends.   
I have reason to believe the ending WILL be climactic, for   
those of you disappointed. Operative 231 is a character   
created by someone else, whose identity will be seen in Chap   
13 and full credits will go to that author at the end of the   
next chapter.  
  
Chapter 13 may emerge, but that is the furthest I *can* go   
(ie unfinished story), my preliminary exams are drawing near,   
probably won't continuing until my preliminary exams end   
September 20th or so... after that I have to prepare for my   
A levels, but I will try to bring out more chapters. No matter   
what, I will try to finish it once my A's are over, which is   
in late Nov/early Dec.  
  
I hope you have enjoyed this Fanfic as much as I have typing it.  
If there are any more grammar errors, I beg your forgiveness, as  
my sole proofreader is myself.  
  
This is my first FF, so go ahead and mail me at zyraen@yahoo.com  
with comments, especially on character portrayal, realism.  
  
Last word : PLEASE REVIEW! So I noe which hits are for real &   
which are merely misgotten clicks... 


	14. No Need for Reinforcements

This Chapter is dedicated to Carrie and Lita,  
two strong souls whose paths I've had the fortune to cross.  
  
Carrie, rest well and recover soon.  
I miss you, and I wish you well, always.  
Lita, know that you have a friend in me.  
I know you will take good care of Carrie.  
  
Sincerely, Zyraen (08/05/2000)  
  
Disclaimer :  
Most characters in this story are property of AIC and Pioneer.  
They are in such a situation solely because of my imagination.  
This story was written purely for fun.  
  
DARKNESS & LIGHT - No Need For Kova  
  
By Zyraen  
  
Chapter XIII : No Need for Reinforcements  
  
"What happened?" The Section Chief asked, his face pale.  
  
"It's all your f***ing fault!" Operative 231 screamed at Mitsuki, and  
the Section Chief. An accusing finger pointed at Mitsuki. "You cut  
her off!" Then at the transmission that was still open. "And you hurt  
her! You shouted her down!"  
  
"Operative 231, control yourself." The Chief spoke sternly, though  
his face was still white.  
  
"F*** off!" He cried. "If I can't save her, I'll kill that f***ing bastard!"  
  
The Section Chief was about to reply when 231's hand slammed  
down on the controls, and his screen blacked out.  
  
The officer spun to face Mitsuki. "What the f*** are u waiting for? Get  
me to Earth!"  
  
Mitsuki took one look at his form, trembling with rage and anguish,  
his face contorted into a bestial mask of savagery, and quickly  
leaped back into her control seat.  
  
=====================================  
  
"Let's go." Kova walked over to Kiyone, who was still stunned,  
sitting on the floor of the bridge. "You're dead, you've discharged  
your duties. We can leave here, we can forget all about that bullshit,  
and get on with our…" His voice died, as emerald embers  
smouldered in her eyes, the entirety of their enmity directed towards  
him, and it struck him almost as a physical blow. "Kiyone?" He  
stooped down, reaching down to help her up.  
  
CRACK!  
  
Streaks of stinging pain arced through his face, and he staggered  
back, before sitting down. He could feel warm fluid flowing down  
over his lips, and felt a dull ache in his face.  
  
"You *f***king* BASTARD!" He heard Kiyone cry out, as he saw her  
get to her feet, her hand picking up the GP blaster he had dropped  
as she had hit him.  
  
"Kiyone-chan, I…" He licked his lips and tasted blood. It hurt, but it  
didn't hurt as bad as the realisation it was *she* who had struck him.  
  
"Damn you!" Kiyone shouted, her eyes blurring with tears, her  
blaster clenched tightly in her hand. "What the f*** did you think you  
were doing!?"  
  
"I…" His heart constricted painfully, both at Kiyone's anguish and at  
his own fears. "I thought…"  
  
"You…!" Kiyone levelled her GP blaster at him. A brief image flashed  
in her mind.   
  
A field of verdant grasses, swaying slightly in the breeze, drenched  
in the orange glow of sunset. Silhouettes of children dancing  
around a taller, paternal figure, before outlined clearly before the  
golden light. Tinkling laughter, as the taller figure scooped one up,  
and as he turned to toss the child high in the air, the flash of blue  
from his loving, proud and thankful eyes…  
  
Trying to fight the rising lump in her throat, Kiyone seized the GP  
Blaster before it fell out of her loosening fingers, then sobbing in  
anger and sorrow, sped from the bridge, through Washu's lab and  
out the door.   
  
"I'm sorry, Kiyone-chan," Kova murmured brokenly, his expression  
dismal and dimmed, as his head sunk to his chest, and he felt his  
nose gingerly.  
  
I can take my own pain, my own suffering. I have heard people  
insult, damn me in front of my very own face, and I can take it. But I  
can't let them treat you like this, and after all you've done and all  
you're trying to do for them, and for us…  
  
"What did you do now, Kashiro?" Washu was standing over him,  
looking stern but at the same time both curious and concerned. The  
spy had his own endearing qualities, and though he was basically  
still a stranger, there was a certain respect Washu possessed for  
this individual that had learnt to be so versatile and so successful in  
so many aspects of his life.  
  
"I… meant it well." He pressed his lips together, feeling the blood  
flow down to his chin. But it wasn't the visible wound that mattered,  
it was the way his heart seemed to be oozing blood, as though a  
strong hand was clenched around it, squeezing it tightly. He  
breathed raggedly through his mouth, then closing his eyes, his  
hand gripped his nose firmly. Deftly, he twisted it back into place,  
giving vent a soft grunt of pain, as his heartache receded before the  
physical agony. Facing up, he breathed in deep, as his fingers  
wiped the blood streaming down his face. "Kiyone…"  
  
"Give her some time, Kashiro." Washu whispered. "She needs to  
cool off."  
  
"Did I…?" His eyes opened, and realisation dawned in them on who  
it was he was speaking to at last. "Thank you, professor."  
  
"It's nothing. Give her some time." She watched his glistening tears.  
"You'll have to comfort her. Make it up to her."  
  
"But…"  
  
"Even if you meant it for the best, it's gone wrong." Washu  
answered sagely. "And it's your fault it has. Think about it, and I'll be  
returning to my work."  
  
She turned her back on Kova, as he huddled into a small ball on the  
side of the bridge.  
  
I have to make it up to her, for everything…  
  
=====================================  
  
"One more…"  
  
The barkeep stared at his customer in surprise. It wasn't that she  
was dressed in a white blouse and dark green tights, neither was it  
for her pristine beauty, but it was for the number of bottles she had  
emptied. He didn't usually get female patrons so early in the night,  
and few, if any of them, came dressed so… decently. Or downed so  
much booze.  
  
"What are you waiting for?" The lady, face buried in her forearms,  
her long dark green hair flowing over the back of her shoulders,  
mumbled. Her hand reached out, for another swig, lifted up one  
empty bottle after another. "Damn you, give it to me!" She raised her  
head, her puffed up green eyes blazing in anger, her face red from  
too much liquor.  
  
"You sure you can pay?" He asked, backing away before her  
ferocious demeanour.   
  
Kiyone curled her lip up angrily. "I don't give a damn! Just give it to  
me or…"  
  
"I'll settle her tab. You just give her what she wants." A deep, low  
voice announced from the doorway.  
  
She spun around, half expecting to see Kova standing there. But  
no, it was a man of about forty, dressed in a black business suit and  
baggy black pants, with shoulders hunched forward and head  
sticking out before him. Even half-drunk, she could see there was  
no way he could be less than five centimetres shorter than her, and  
his voice was noticeably lower than Kova's.  
  
He walked over, seeming a little bandy-legged, and settled down on  
Kiyone's right, oblivious to the distrustful look she shot him. "Bottle  
of rum, please. And whatever the lady wants."  
  
The barkeep hesitated, before a wad of notes was laid on the table.  
His face lighted up with glee, and quickly another bottle of whiskey  
was placed in Kiyone's outstretched hand, as a bottle of rum was  
deposited before the black clad businessman. The chap reached  
over for Kiyone's dry wine glass, pouring his drink into it, as Kiyone  
took another direct swig from the fresh bottle. Lowering it, she  
stared as the man gulped a quarter of his cup down, then another  
quarter. His fingers were a little fat and squat, and his palm seemed  
somewhat larger than normal.  
  
"What do you want?" She asked, her voice a little slurred but still  
laced with distrust. As he turned to face her, she saw his jaw line  
was not as long as Kova's, his jaws and cheeks themselves  
pudgier. His hair was the usual black, with one or two whitening  
strands, combed neatly down with a centre parting, while his eyes  
were a brown tint. From his rough complexion and hands, Kiyone  
guessed that he was about forty odd, although he probably had the  
usage of some face lifting services, he looked about thirty.   
  
Besides, Kova disliked alcohol, and even when he drank his tea, he  
sipped it for most part.  
  
"More rum." He replied as he filled his cup again, his face still not  
leaving hers, but with an almost derisive smile. "Just as you need  
more whiskey."  
  
"Right." She murmured, raising the bottle to her lips again. "Ah!"  
She breathed out as she lowered the bottle. "If it's a cheap f*** you  
want, get to the hooker's."  
  
"I prefer rum." He took another generous gulp from his cup.  
  
About half an hour of silence passed, the man drinking his rum,  
while Kiyone emptied more bottles.   
  
Kiyone stared at the bottles before her, shifting around uncertainly,  
doubles flashing in and out of vision. Six, ten, twelve, fifteen? She  
had no idea. Her fingers ran by them one by one, her befuddled  
mind struggling to count straight from one to whatever number she  
needed. It was eight.  
  
The man finished his third bottle, before he noticed Kiyone was  
staring at the bottles already.  
  
"What?" He slurred, pointing at her with a finger. "Oo…out s…so  
soon?"  
  
Kiyone stared at him, and even through the double image and the  
haze of alcohol, she could almost feel the lust emanating  
undisguised from behind those brown eyes. "I…I'm g…g…go..."  
She stood up unsteadily, but the man grabbed her left arm, and  
pulled himself to her side.  
  
"There… I'll help lady… walk…" He slurred, his lips curling lewdly  
as he stared at her. Kiyone made to move off, and he, ostensibly  
supporting her by holding her arm. As they exited the bar, Kiyone  
felt him suddenly move nearer, and his hand went behind her to  
under her right armpit…  
  
"What the…!" Surprise and outrage jolted her awake, at least  
partially.  
  
"I… walk you… ba…." His head was pressed against her shoulder,  
his eyes closed as his black hair brushed against her, and his free  
hand wandered obtrusively over the front of her body while the  
fingers of the arm behind her caressed her lasciviously. "Then we  
can…"  
  
"PERVERT!" Kiyone lashed out at the man's head, and the fellow  
staggered back. She was too drunk to wonder why it didn't land  
properly enough to kill him (it should have, one strike near the base  
of the throat, the other a jab to the temple). To her surprise, her kick  
to his groin missed, which she passed off as due to her inebriated  
state, before stepping in with another punch to his chest as her  
other hand reached for her blaster.  
  
Something gripped her fist, and she fell forward onto him as the  
man slipped back. She landed on top of him, her face mere inches  
from his, her GP Blaster jabbing into his side.  
  
"You *bloody* son of a…" Her voice died as she saw the man's eyes  
open, causing two small lenses with brown irises to slide out of his  
eyes.  
  
"How about here?" The familiar voice asked before her. The neck  
muscles relaxed, and she saw the face lengthen. Kiyone blinked,  
thinking she was dreaming.  
  
"Kova-chan!?" Her voice was incredulous. His hand reached out,  
brushing her puffed up eyes.  
  
"I'm sorry, Kiyone…" He smiled sadly, then his lips rose up to kiss  
hers. Just before she closed her eyes she glimpsed his hands  
pulling at something under his face near his throat, and when she  
opened her eyes again, his jaw and complexion had returned,  
although his face was a little red, and there were faint signs of tear  
lines along his cheeks.  
  
"Kova-chan?" In fact, under normal circumstances Kiyone would  
get up and settle every disagreement they had before even  
consenting to let him get so close to her, but with alcohol, some  
things tend to be different…  
  
"Sorry about last night, and today." He murmured softly, as his lips  
brushed her neck, and slowly travelled down. "Concerning today,  
we'll be able to work something out. As for last night…" She dimly  
noticed his hands behind her, as he pulled his translucent, skin like  
gloves off, then she felt one hand caress her back. His right hand  
ran through his hair, causing the black and white dye to flake off,  
while loosening the clips within that kept his long hair tied down to  
his scalp.  
  
"Kova…mmm!" She murmured as the fingers of his left hand  
danced across her back, while the other stroked her long green hair  
before her left shoulder, following its trail down the hair to her chest,  
even as he continued kissing her neck, and his legs shifted slightly,  
brushing the inside of her thighs.   
  
Opening her eyes, she saw the concrete floor of the street  
pavement, and her befuddled mind finally worked out what the  
nagging feeling at the back of her mind was…  
  
"Hmm?" He asked as he felt her stiffen.   
  
Looking up, he saw Kiyone was staring on her left, at the bar.  
Following her eyes, he saw that the patrons of the bar and the  
barkeep were staring back at them through the glass. Kiyone, her  
face twitching nervously, slowly turned and saw a man staring at  
them from further up the pavement, as well as a couple behind him.  
Just one metre from them, a motorcyclist had froze in the act of  
starting his vehicle, eyes fixed on them, while the cars on the road  
seemed to be moving particularly slowly.  
  
"Urk…" Her throat sounded choked.  
  
"There's more, actually." He added, his voice amused. "There's two  
guys watching us just behind you, fresh out of the bar, and this  
teenage guy walking near the road behind them."  
  
Kiyone made to get up, but she felt his hands encircling her at the  
small of her back, holding her close to him. "Hey, Kova-chan!"  
  
He grinned at her outraged her face, red from embarrassment as  
well as wine. "I forgot to tell you, my offer for last night's  
reimbursement extends to this time and place only." His eyes shone  
mischievously. "*Only*."  
  
"KOVA-CHAN!" Although it had seemed impossible, her face  
actually became a shade more scarlet, but though her tone was  
outraged, her eyes were soft and warm, and there was an affable  
undertone to it. "I can't… we can't…!"  
  
"Come, come…" He continued grinning madly. "Here and now.  
Take it or leave it." He had never liked playing for stakes, unless the  
outcome was certain, but here where the stakes were insane and  
where the prize was as ridiculous, he somehow felt he could give it  
a shot.  
  
Kiyone cogitated, her desire battling against her, well, dignity?  
Pride? Common sense? She could feel him through his pants and  
her tights, but…  
  
"Please…?" She begged, her face plaintive. Half drunk though she  
was, she was still Kiyone. Still holding her body close, he lifted his  
hip almost imperceptibly off the ground, and laughed inwardly as  
she tried to resist the temptation to reciprocate. "Back at my  
apartment… please…!?"  
  
"Aww, come on…" He winked at her. "After all we don't care what  
these people think of us, do we?" He grinned. Kiyone's brow  
wrinkled in indecision, as she sought to prevent her body from  
responding. Yet as his fingers ran over her dress, he could feel her  
flesh flushing warm at his touch…  
  
"I really can't…" Her green eyes pleaded for reprieve.  
  
Remembering how she had counted her fingers last night, he shook  
her head, and was rewarded with the sight of her wide opened eyes,  
but her breath quickened almost imperceptibly. He felt almost sorry  
that he had actually decided not to do anything already.  
  
That he was lying here on the road threatening everyone with a free  
show was a clear sign of his tipsy state, but he was not *that*  
drunk…  
  
"Oh all right."  
  
Kiyone breathed a sigh of relief.  
  
"But when I get back I expect a good dinner." He replied. "We both  
missed dinner and are hungry. It would never do to get stomach  
ulcers, would it? It would cramp our style."  
  
"Fine, but how am I going to get something out so…"  
  
"You'll get back my way, while I'll walk. Now let's get up before I  
change my mind."  
  
There was an almost audible sigh of disappointment from all around  
as the two got up, with Kova sweeping his disguise utilities up, then  
they walked away. Kova held Kiyone's arm to steady both of them  
as they walked down into a side alley, their bodies swaying slightly  
from side to side.  
  
"Kova-chan, where are we going?"  
  
"Oh, you're going to prepare my dinner." He grinned. "I am walking  
back."  
  
Before she could protest, the portal opened up before them.  
"Remember, I expect a good meal." His eyes twinkled. "Or nothing  
goes…"  
  
"I'll try…" Kiyone nodded, then stepped into the portal.  
  
Kova watched as the darkness vanished, then leaned on a wall, one  
hand on his forehead.  
  
Sheesh, my head is spinning. I really should have got some training  
on how to improve my alcohol tolerance threshold…  
  
He quickly took out a pill from a pocket, and swallowed it.  
  
Sitting down for a moment, he waited till the disorientating reaction  
effects had worn off, before continuing on his walk, his mind now  
clear…  
  
Hmm, Kiyone is probably expecting me to show up at her front  
door… Let's get in my old way and surprise her.  
  
For a moment, he remembered what had nearly transpired outside  
the bar, and his face turned pale crimson with embarrassment and  
shame.  
  
Oh my god, I can't believe I nearly did *that* back *there*.  
  
=====================================   
  
She had just orientated herself to being in her apartment, when the  
doorbell rang.  
  
Oh no, don't tell me he's here already!?  
  
Quickly she ran to open it, but just before she got there, Ryoko  
materialised between her and the door.   
  
"Kiyone!?" Ryoko quickly took in her appearance. "Drinking, huh?  
With someone I know?" She smiled wickedly, and Kiyone blushed  
again. The room was still rocking slightly about…  
  
"Ryoko, open up!" Aeka shouted from behind the door.  
  
"All right already!" The pirate retorted, and pulled it open.   
  
Aeka walked in carrying two shopping bags, looking tired but happy  
and satisfied as well. "Ryoko, you sure… oh, hello Kiyone!" From  
her expression, it was clear Aeka did not expect Kiyone to be here,  
but rather elsewhere in the Masaki household with a certain  
someone. Her face wrinkled as she smelled the stink of alcohol in  
the air. "Oh my, Kiyone, have you been drinking?"  
  
"Yeah, but I need…" Her eyes lighted up as Aeka's little sister  
stepped in with some packages of her own.   
  
Sasami looked tired, but at least happy. It had been trying at times,  
but they had pulled through without a single proper fight between  
the princess and the pirate. Now, rest at last…  
  
Two hands seized her shoulders, fingers pressing a little too hard.  
  
"Sasami, Sasami!" Kiyone exclaimed. "You're *just* who I need!"  
  
"Huh, what for?"  
  
"I need you to make a quick, nice dinner for Kova and me and bring  
it here!"  
  
Sasami recoiled from the stench of alcohol and the way Kiyone  
stared at her almost desperately. "Erm, I'm tired… and I said I  
wouldn't be cooking today…"  
  
"Please…!" Kiyone begged her, her hands clasping into a pleading  
sign.  
  
Aeka and Ryoko stared at Kiyone in shock, as a teardrop formed  
behind Sasami.  
  
"I…" Sasami started.  
  
"Sasami, pleeeaasse…" Kiyone implored. "I really need your…"  
  
The blue haired girl gazed into her trembling emerald eyes, and her  
heart melted. "All right, Kiyone." She sighed, relenting.  
  
If it were ever possible for Kiyone to act like Mihoshi, this would be  
it. She jumped up, the entirety of her form embodying joy and  
enthusiasm. "Oh great! Thank you, thank you, Sasami!!" Her hands  
almost clapped together.  
  
"Don't mention it," Sasami replied, averting her eyes as another  
sweatdrop beaded on her head. Her gaze made contact with Aeka  
and Ryoko, questioningly.  
  
"I think she had too much drink." Aeka murmured nervously, eyes  
wide.  
  
"Several pints over." Ryoko shook her head. "Either that or she's  
been working too hard."  
  
Kiyone seized Sasami's packages from her, her face beaming  
exuberantly. "I'll go put this in your room, please do hurry!"  
  
The three of them stared as Kiyone rapped on the door to Tenchi's  
apartment, stepped through and vanished. Ryoko licked her lips  
nervously as Aeka blinked in surprise. Sasami stared open  
mouthed, then hurried in after Kiyone, remembering her agreement.  
  
"Things simply get more inexplicable, don't they?" Aeka managed  
after a while.  
  
Ryoko only nodded dumbly.  
  
=====================================   
  
Kova walked on lightly, his legs swinging to and fro in a nonchalant,  
comfortably slow pace. His black pants hung well above his ankles,  
about ten centimetres too short for him, but he didn't mind. Yet even  
at this rate he was just maybe twenty or so minutes from leisurely  
wending his way past the buildings to the place from which he  
could see Kiyone's apartment.  
  
This is perfect! True, Kiyone-chan's drunk, but at least I got her  
happy without her having to drag me aside and set the record  
straight…  
  
A pang of sadness struck him as he recalled the difficulties they  
faced…  
  
Should I make her promise first? Or should I just take my pleasure  
as it comes…  
  
His eyes caught a gleam of metal in the shadows of an alley a good  
distance from him. He had already seen the figure twice, with its  
strange garb, a good distance behind, about five or ten minutes  
after Kiyone had left, but this was the first time he saw the weapon's  
green blade flash behind the figure's shoulders. He took two quick  
steps as the figure hid behind some cover, so that he reached the  
light of a street lamp.  
  
Whoever he is, he is not from this world, he is too skilled, unless  
there is another Yosho or Tenchi somewhere around. If it were not  
for my natural night vision, I would never have seen him in the first  
place, whether or not he bothered to conceal himself. And he keeps  
pace effortlessly and silently.  
  
"Show yourself, stranger!" His voice rang out, and he removed his  
black business suit, which was slightly too short for him, before  
dropping to the ground. The figure stiffened, then walked out, his  
footsteps even, the soft sounds of his light footfalls somehow  
ominous and menacing. Seemingly unperturbed, Kova had his face  
averted, as his eyes focused on removing his cuff links, and  
unbuttoned the first two buttons of his white long sleeved shirt so  
he could breathe and move more easily.  
  
The person stopped on the edge of the white radius of light, the  
three sharpened teal points over his right shoulder gleaming coldly.  
Fifteen metres from him, near the base of the street lamp, Kova  
looked up, and shook his arms out to loosen his sleeves and his  
muscles, his lips curling into a confident smile.  
  
The shadow bristled a little, then stood up erect. Kova could see the  
person was slightly taller than him, by about as much as he was  
taller than Kiyone. The green hair…  
  
"Galaxy Police Special Operative 231?" He whispered. The shade  
was uncannily similar to Kiyone's hair colour.  
  
The operative made no reply, his face set grimly, his shadowed eyes  
dark with hostility. The man was no longer in the GP uniform, but  
was wearing a dark grey robe, with only half its top, so that it  
covered the left half of his chest and his left hand, while showing his  
muscular, slightly tanned right chest, as well as exposing his right  
arm and the long tattoo that ran down the length of it. The half robe  
was tucked into baggy grey trousers that ended in boots made of  
flexible black material, like ninja boots, while his fists were clenched  
tightly together. Over his shoulder the three prongs of a trident  
made of some light green metal showed.  
  
"May I help you?" Kova asked, his face calm, his arms opening in  
the expression of openness and willingness to talk, but his feet  
shifted apart in a fighting stance…  
  
231 flexed his right arm as his left fist raised up belligerently,  
causing his chest to ripple like that of a lion, while the tattoo on his  
right arm seemed to move with a life of its own, as though it wished  
to draw blood. "*Where* is Kiyone?" His voice was low and icy.  
  
The strange garb, the tattoo, the three pronged green bladed trident  
on the person's back, he seemed to remember seeing it in a book  
before… Something about them warned him this person was  
dangerous.  
  
Kova's shrug was typically nonchalant. "I'm afraid she's not with us  
now, Operative."   
  
The fury rising from the SpecOp was almost palpable, before he  
lunged forward at Kova, ready to strike. Kova watched, one of his  
hands resting on the lamp pole, as the fellow covered the distance  
between them at an amazing, almost feral, speed.  
  
You may be swift, SpecOp 231, but I am far swifter than you can ever  
be.  
  
A fist flew into the air where Kova's face had been, the other was  
directed at his left chest, while a vicious kick just missed his knee  
cap as the spy took half a step back. Dodging the ensuing  
sweeping overhead kick that smashed into the post, Kova was  
about to retaliate when the operative's other leg followed with a  
flying strike to his stomach, along with a vicious elbow just before  
his chest, and he was forced to roll diagonally back and away, as  
the light flickered out.  
  
Excellent attack, the viciousness and continuity more than made up  
for his lack of speed.  
  
The spy got to his feet, staring at the operative, who had paused  
momentarily so his eyes could adjust to the darkness. Something  
about the fighting style, the way it made full use of the concept  
"attack is the best defence," seemed very familiar.  
  
"Torabushi?" Kova murmured, half in astonishment. The operative  
did not reply, as he advanced again, his blows coming in rapid  
successions. Kova jerked back avoiding the stab to his face, then  
leaped lightly away from low right leg sweep while twisting his body  
left to avoid the incoming punch, that changed into a backhand  
chop as the operative's left leg followed up with a chest height  
roundhouse. Cartwheeling to avoid the chop and kick his legs  
struck out in a lightning attack at his foe's chest and face, but the  
enemy's left arm was already there, and batted them away almost  
effortlessly, as though his legs had no more force than an average  
punch.  
  
"What the…!" Despite the surprise, Kova righted himself, as the  
blows lashed out again. Catching a seam in the barrage of blurred  
offensive attacks, it took only a fraction of a second for this series of  
subconscious thoughts to cross his mind.  
  
If I strike to his left chest I will be hit by his left jab to my stomach,  
but I think I can shift away slightly so no more than a quarter of his  
force will have be exerted on me…  
  
Well, to win one has to strike, right?  
  
A single flash streaked through the gap between the officer's left  
forearm and right elbow, and a moderate burst of pain shot through  
the man's upper left shoulder as knuckles struck his lower left ribs.  
Although his own blow connected, the impact was not as great as it  
should have been, for the criminal recoiled just before the blow  
actually connected, reducing the impact.  
  
Kova felt the pain shoot out from his stomach as the enemy's jab  
struck home.  
  
What the hell, I nullified at least three quarters of its force, and it  
*still* feels like a regular strike!  
  
To fight is to defeat, to falter is to be defeated.  
  
Both sides knew this, and so they did not cease their combat for an  
instant. The operative, ignoring his pain, forged forward again, not  
giving Kova another moment's respite, as the spy tried to avoid  
getting hit. The operative watched as the villain with the white long  
sleeved shirt and black pants darted in and out between his blows,  
more concerned with defence than attack.  
  
Well, I'll be damned that Mitsuki can actually be right. This f***er is  
one shit of a good unarmed warrior. Maybe I should have brought  
Mitsuki along…  
  
He quashed the thought, remembering that if two are matched  
evenly, the one whose mind weakens first will be the one to lose. He  
reflected on the nature of the style he was using, the bait being to  
open himself to attack, while striking out. Given that if both strike  
out, the Torabushi warrior would prevail for his assault will be  
mightier and deadlier, bringing down his opponent if only by mere  
exchange of blows. This was the first time he had ever had to use  
this style, yet it had failed him, for he could surmise he only inflicted  
mediocre damage, as did his enemy to himself.  
  
Trying again, he exposed himself as he attacked, and as the spy  
seized the opportunity. Pain lanced through the back of his right  
knee, while he struck the enemy's forearm, that once again recoiled  
back to absorb the force.  
  
Kova darted away as the operative kicked out, foot landing onto a  
wall, then using it as a leverage performed a crescent spin kick that  
was aimed at his skull, forcing Kova to dart diagonally before  
slowing his roll so the operative's left hand just missed striking him.  
Even before he was righted 231 came at him again, and Kova  
glimpsed a bootshaped indentation in the concrete wall as he  
defended himself.  
  
Oh my, he left a dent in the wall… That explains why my stomach  
and arm smarts…  
  
The battle continued, but this time Kova just gave before his  
attacks, falling back before his blows. The officer frowned, realising  
the spy was no longer attempting to strike him, and as such, he  
could not strike the man either…  
  
Fine, let's do it the painful way, he thought.  
  
Kova's eyes opened wide as he saw a chance, an opportunity, and  
responded before his mind could actually make sense of its  
existential likelihood. His low sweeping kick struck the officer's left  
ankle, and the man's leg buckled slightly, for only a split second, but  
it truly seemed that he had struck well.  
  
The speed of the officer's attacks decreased a little, not very  
noticeably, but enough so that Kova could take up the offensive  
between the attack intervals. The officer began to have to duck, and  
block more often, as Kova brought forth his own array of assaults.  
Cross body strikes, attacks that changed half way, sweeps that  
changed into kicks, all these were one by one deflected by the  
officer. Kova felt his confidence return as his foe jumped over his  
lower waist swing kick and back away from the simultaneous throat  
punch.  
  
Perhaps I may yet defeat this SpecOp. Admittedly he has been an  
excellent challenger, the Torabushi are indeed the fiercest warriors  
in the universe.  
  
The officer, feeling the tide turn against him, allowed himself a faint  
smile.  
  
Kova blinked, then quite suddenly, the operative's speed increased  
again to that of old, and caught him by surprise. A rapid flurry of  
counters were initiated, and Kova pulled back as his opponent's  
sudden burst of fury and swiftness allowed him to seize the  
initiative, his blows seeming to anticipate and preempt Kova's  
actions…  
  
DAMN!  
  
Faced with no choice, he struck the incoming right wrist down with  
a swift chop, but it only diverted the blow by a few degrees.   
  
Operative 231 felt his hand grow numb, but nevertheless the blow's  
force was from his arm, not his wrist or fingers.  
  
An instant later the knuckles smashed into Kova's chest, thankfully  
at half force due to his skill of avoiding impacts, and the officer  
smiled in satisfaction as the criminal staggered back, before  
following up with a direct double roundhouse kick to the enemy's  
chest and stomach. Kova managed to dodge one, but had to block  
the lower strike. As he did so he twisted his forearm and also used  
the force from the blow to fuel his backflip of over about four metres  
from his nemesis.  
  
Don't you run you bastard! The SpecOp thought.  
  
Click.  
  
Kova stared up, face wincing slightly from the blow to his chest, as  
the officer levelled a tiny black handgun at him.  
  
"You fight well, villain." The operative murmured, respect brimming  
in his voice. His wrist smarted badly, and the left foot that had been  
blocked ached from the earlier strike he had offered Kova, as well as  
from the quick twist administered even as his enemy had been  
forced to block his blow, but he knew to show his pain would be  
foolish, maybe even fatal. "But I'll be damned if I'm going to let shit  
like you off." His world snapped back into focus as the adrenalin  
subsided slightly, and he remembered his purpose. "*WHERE* is  
Kiyone?" He snarled, his finger tensing.  
  
Kova stared at the gun. It was a small device, about fifteen  
centimetres long, and looked *very* primitive. He had no doubt as to  
its utility, however - the Special Forces Operatives were among the  
most efficient crime fighting teams. Somehow finding one of such  
calibre and belonging to the almost legendary and elite Torabushi  
warrior clan seemed to top it off just fine.  
  
But to hell with him, the more dangerous the foe, the more  
imperative that he dies.  
  
"And pray tell, who is she to you?" He murmured softly, his voice  
calm, though he remained down on one knee, one hand clutching at  
his stomach and chest.   
  
"That is none of your business, scum!" He cried, his voice betraying  
his anger and fear. "Tell me or I'll smash your f***ing brains out!"  
  
The emotion was clearly conveyed in his voice, and Kova winced as  
an ugly suspicion reared in his head…  
  
Could she have another …?  
  
The thought vanished into nothingness as the implicit trust he had  
in her tore it to shreds, but he could feel the bitter, tangy aftertaste of  
jealousy in his mind still…  
  
"All right, officer 231, she should be in her apartment…" He  
submitted, holding one hand up, as the other was still pressed to  
his hurting chest.  
  
"Where is the apartment?" The SpecOp's eyes narrowed  
suspiciously. "And how do I know you're not lying?" Already the  
pain was leaving him, but nevertheless in the darkness he could not  
make out the enemy's face.  
  
"You have my word." Kova murmured. "I swear by my love for…"  
He bit his lip, remembering to stop himself. "… my life."  
  
For a moment hope surged in the operative's heart, but he  
remembered he was dealing with an enemy noted for his cunning  
and ruthlessness. "Yeah right." Now that he had the man at his  
mercy, he cursed mentally, remembering he did not have a standard  
Blaster with a Stun shot, for he dare not slay this man without  
knowing or at least confirming, Kiyone's whereabouts and state.  
"Now I order you to…"  
  
"Fat hope, Op." Kova smiled, his mind working.  
  
I wonder if I can get him to…  
  
The operative's eyes narrowed as he spotted the hand move, a flash  
of metal in the darkness, and reflexively opened fire. He just  
managed to glimpse the shield of azure light encase Kova's forearm  
before he threw himself back…  
  
Kova grinned as the officer hurled himself away, with the reflected  
lead slugs grazing the base of his chin, where his heart would have  
been if it had not been for his swift reactions.  
  
231 grimaced angrily as Kova stood up, his laser shield flashing out  
of existence.  
  
"How do you feel?" Kova asked, nonchalantly twirling his silver rod.  
Normally he would have slain the person by now, only…  
  
He knew Kiyone. That she was a single child and… The words  
'Have I seen you before?' echoed in his mind, dispelling his final  
doubts, but he still recalled the shine of the now extinguished lamp  
light on the operative's green hair and eyes, the way they looked  
like hers…  
  
The operative, surprised for the respite but no less wrathful, got up  
to his feet, watching as the rod spun in Kova's hand. It obviously  
was *not* a gun.  
  
The f***er got me to put one over myself!  
  
"You're asking for *hell*, buster," the operative reached out behind  
him, pulling out the trident.  
  
The weapon was slightly less than two metres long, with a  
seemingly wooden handle and a three-pronged head of green  
metal. The two outer prongs of it were arranged so they were the  
two points of a crescent that seemed to have been melded on a  
green spear tip, while holes were placed in even of intervals and all  
three sharpened edges were directed at him.  
  
Kova realised the tattoo was a black version of the trident, and dimly  
some passages from deep in his dusty memories unearthed  
themselves…  
  
"You have attained the 10th level of mastery?" The incredulity was  
in his voice, for most men did not normally do so until they were at  
least in their mid thirties, while this fellow looked in his very early  
twenties.   
  
"Cut the bullshit!" The operative sounded belligerent still, but  
surprise was welling in his heart. Few knew of the progression  
levels of the Torabushi outside the sect, and this man, from his  
combat style, was clearly not a fellow initiate.  
  
Kova stared at the officer, wondering why wasn't he attacking yet.  
  
Oh yes, the Torabushi value honour above many other things.  
  
"I am ready." The two laser shields shone out, covering both his  
forearms. "And I warn you- beware!" His face became grim and  
confident, for with his laser weapons the strength advantage the  
officer had over him could be neutralised to a greater part…  
  
The operative charged, diving under the silver blur arcing at him.  
The spy side stepped 231's thrust that promptly turned into a  
bladed sweep at his midsection, and sparks flew as his right shield  
blocked the attack. Then his left forearm twisted and sliced out over  
the officer's ducking head, before lowering to parry the wooden  
handle swinging to his ribs.  
  
The officer felt his instincts scream in warning, and dived away.  
  
What the…!?  
  
Cold sweat broke out on his brow as the cerulean scythe arced  
through the air from behind, and just missed taking his shoulder  
and upper chest off. His head and neck were saved only because  
he had brought his trident's handle up, and light blue sparks  
crackled as the blade connected with the wood, before returning to  
Kova, who was regarding the operative with an odd, curious  
expression.  
  
I wonder why his trident handle wasn't sliced apart…  
  
231 rolled sideways away, and stared up at him, eyes blazing with  
fury, before leaping on Kova like an enraged tiger, as Kova's  
forearm shields sheathed out of existence. "I'm gonna beat the  
*F**** outta ya!" The trident slashed and hacked out in a blur of teal  
and light brown.  
  
"My pleasure…" Kova stepped back, his blood burning in  
anticipation.  
  
At last, someone of my calibre. I've been looking forward to testing  
my skills…  
  
=====================================   
  
Kiyone finally staggered back into her apartment, her mind reeling  
with fragments of conversation just a few minutes before. Her  
blonde partner, who had been waiting in the living room, had heard  
her voice and turned from the TV.  
  
"Oh Kiyone!" She had exclaimed. "Washu said you went out, where  
have you been?"  
  
"Mihoshi, just lay off, okay?" The blonde hurried over, heedless.  
  
"But Kiyone…" Her nose wrinkled as she smelt the stench of  
alcohol. "You've been drinking!?" Mihoshi's eyes widened as she  
spotted the tears marks on her face. "Who made you…?"  
  
Kiyone scowled. "It's none of your business, Mihoshi!"  
  
"I…" Mihoshi uttered as Kiyone turned from her and approached  
the door. "Wait up, Kiyone!"  
  
"Mihoshi…" Kiyone licked her lips. "I need some time in the  
apartment just by myself, okay?" She dimly made out another  
heated debate between Ryoko and Aeka over their haul. Ryoko  
seemed to have some things that Aeka supposedly wanted …  
  
"Is it because of Kova?"  
  
"Erm, yeah." She said softly.  
  
"I won't have him making you cry!" Mihoshi declared, planting her  
hands defiantly on her hip. "I won't have him pushing you around!"  
  
"He did not…" Kiyone flinched as she recalled how he *had*  
pushed her off the chair at the Yagami. "He… didn't mean it."  
  
"Well I'd like to make sure he doesn't do it again." Mihoshi looked  
calm, but her face was set in determination. "I'll be with you,  
Kiyone."  
  
"Mihoshi!!"  
  
She couldn't, or didn't, want to remember how she managed to get  
Mihoshi to lay off, although the dim memory of clamping the  
blonde's mouth shout and Sasami pleading with Mihoshi on her  
behalf stuck with her. Quite naturally, her hand went up to her head.  
  
Oh, I really *do* have a headache, its not just from thinking of  
Mihoshi…  
  
Lying back on the ground, the fragrant aroma of Sasami's quickly  
cooked meal was the only thing that prevented her from nodding  
off.  
  
Damned alcohol, she swore. Provokes the desire and takes away  
the performance… anyone recognise this quote ^_^ She fought  
to keep her eyes open. Dimly she could hear the sounds of a dream  
beckoning her.   
  
Hmm, sounded a little violent, possibly involved fighting.  
  
Her eyelids fluttered as the sounds grew louder.  
  
I *must* stay awake!  
  
With a visible effort, she opened her eyes again.  
  
Funny, the sounds are still coming…  
  
Her emerald eyes widened.  
  
=====================================   
  
"Having fun?" Kova grinned at the operative, through another flare  
of flying blue sparks.   
  
The officer stared grimly back, his trident moving in to slash at his  
foe's shoulder. Kova lightly pushed off the wall as the trident cut a  
small chunk out of it, his scythe blade sweeping out, as the  
operative parried with the trident's handle, and the deflected scythe  
sliced a lamp post into two.  
  
They were quite a distance from each other, just within their  
weapons' reach, leaping lightly off the buildings, their weapons  
exchanging blows in blurs and sparks. Battling and leaping over  
alleys, onto roofs, they had moved quite a distance from where they  
had started, leaving in their wake certain piles of rubble, several  
smashed roofs, broken hydrants, severed street lamp posts and  
scarred buildings.  
  
The operative, despite his determined front, was mentally uncertain  
of himself. In the whole of his adult life, he had never once met a foe  
like this, apart from his Torabushi battlemasters whom he trusted  
and were not so, well, potentially deadly. They too, did not possess  
the speed, consistency or even confidence of this enemy.  
  
"I for one enjoy this," the scythe was spinning in circles, batting  
away his strikes, then shot out with the blinding speed  
characteristic of Kova's attacks. The operative backed off, his  
trident beating it back, before Kova took up the initiative, sending a  
blistering barrage of offensive strokes beating down upon his  
enemy. 231 fell back, before just as suddenly countering and  
leaping diagonally, away, but Kova, with an almost good-natured  
smile, avoided the thrust by side stepping so his scythe handle  
defended his chest.  
  
The officer could not help feeling worried, the ease with which the  
man carried himself was almost overwhelming, especially in a  
combat such as this. At least he felt this person was a man of  
honour - he did not use his laser shields nor employ the Blaster  
which the files stated he used as a regular firearm - which was  
strange, for all the data about the person had pointed to him as  
being utterly unscrupulous. But if he was there was a chance  
Kiyone might be alive, simply because he said so. As to defeating  
him, there was also the sweat showing where his foe's white office  
shirt stuck to his chest which betrayed his effort, but his movement  
was still as swift and tireless as before.   
  
"Where is Kiyone?!" He growled from behind clenched teeth.  
  
"I told you, she's in her apartment." The trident turned aside the  
scythe blade and then its swinging handle base just before going in  
for a thrust. "Just over there, see?" Kova pointed with a hand as the  
scythe midsection arrested the thrust. The officer resisted the  
impulse to look, and twisted, a form of disarming, though by now he  
already saw it was near futile. Using his foe's formidable strength in  
the turn of the trident, Kova leaped clockwise as the scythe  
threatened to twist out of his fingers, flipping over once before  
landing and parrying the following slash. "It's just over there, why  
don't you look?" Still staring in the direction he had pointed to, he  
grinned again, before the curved blade flashed out, then was halted  
from splitting 231's body into two by a quick block, and a dive.  
  
Suddenly his face turned pale. "Oh no…" He managed, as he just  
happened to glimpse a swiftly moving shape throw open the door  
and hurry out.  
  
"What?" The officer asked, weapon lashing out again.  
  
"I'm sorry, but I don't think she's in her apartment." Kova almost  
subconsciously blocked the blow.  
  
Seize the enemy's moment of distraction!  
  
The spy arched his brows in surprise, as the officer slid along his  
trident's handle, his body moving closer in, and as the trident  
swung in a side slash to Kova's left, the man's form swung over the  
handle like he would a railing, only it was with his legs straight out  
ahead. Kova had almost instinctively moved right, away from the  
slash that he parried with the scythe, and was caught off guard by  
the boots hurtling towards him. Diving down and away, he managed  
to avoid one kick, but the other caught him in his shoulder as he  
retreated.  
  
His *left* shoulder.  
  
"Unngh!" He rolled a few metres away due to the force of the kick,  
and his face was contorted in a rictus of pain, for he had taken  
almost full brunt for that blow.  
  
God that hurts! His eyes narrowed. No more mister nice spy.  
  
The operative moved in for the kill, sensing he had a finally landed a  
proper blow on his opponent, but his triumph was short lived, as he  
saw his foe rise to his feet, face dark like thundercloud, sapphire  
eyes blazing dark and cold with anger and malice. The scythe sliced  
forward towards his trident, smashing its blow aside.  
  
The Officer opened his eyes as he felt the brute force born of anger  
bear on his weapon, and despite his superior strength he felt a cold  
sliver of fear pierce him.  
  
"You *will* pay!" Kova spat vehemently, his voice livid with wrath,  
and his weapon darted in like lightning, the operative could barely  
react to it. "If I kill you she won't have to know…"  
  
231 fell back, hard pressed before the continuous barrage of blows  
that streamed towards in seemingly endless flowing motions, like  
the inexorable, eternal breaking of waves upon the shore. Through  
the flashes of cerulean and leaping sparks of azure he glimpsed a  
touch of red about his opponent that darted about lightly, hemming  
him in from seemingly all sides.  
  
Did that kick draw blood? He asked himself. A bad bruise, a heck lot  
of pain, maybe even broken bones sure, but blood?  
  
Another chill sliver of fear pierced him as the scythe's sweep just  
whizzed by left forearm, tearing his robes as its passage blistered  
his skin, while the ceaseless attack raged on.  
  
He tried to recall his teachings – in the enemy's time of strength,  
avoid his muscle. Rather let him wear himself out, before stepping in  
to seize his weakness.  
  
But was this his moment of weakness or of strength? Granted his  
fury may lend him might, but the consistent speed and lethal  
presses presented a different idea. Also despite his drawing first  
blood, his foe seemed not in the least inconvenienced by it…  
  
Within his finely honed mind that was insulated from physical  
suffering by his enduring body as well as emotional extremes, Kova  
was worried too.  
  
She is drawing near…  
  
"On guard!" Kova cried as he somersaulted away, his scythe  
leaving his hands. Sensing danger, the operative hurled himself  
away, throwing his trident from him as the blue streak struck the teal  
spear point. A blinding blue detonation tore through the dimmed  
streets of the place, and the operative felt his skin blister and scorch  
from the explosion's searing heat, as the light consumed the trident  
and ripped apart the dark velvet fabric of the night.   
  
Kova stood on the rooftop, right hand clutched to his bleeding  
shoulder, left hand holding the returning scythe, eyes watching  
apprehensively as the fleeting figure in the distant shadows of  
buildings accelerated. Turning he regarded the officer once again,  
who was still standing, but only barely so, by leaning back against a  
wall, who nevertheless raised his head to stare defiantly at his  
nemesis.  
  
I may hurt, but I am ready to fight you again. I *will* defeat you,  
villain, and find Kiyone.  
  
His fists clenched as he tried to stand up unaided, with his  
miraculously unscathed trident lying on the ground some three  
metres from him, between him and the silhouette atop the scarred  
building opposite, standing menacingly against the Prussian blue  
night sky, the azure scythe glowing ominously before him.  
  
"I bid you adieu, Operative 231," Kova smirked, still holding his  
shoulder, as his left hand sent the cerulean streak hurtling down.   
  
231 dived away as the scythe arced down, but instead of heading  
for where he stood, it struck diagonally beside the trident, sending it  
flying up in his general direction.  
  
"What the…?" He reflexively caught his weapon, as the scythe spun  
away into a darkened alley, for the spy had vanished from the roof.  
A slight movement as the blue weapon vanished, and he knew he  
had lost his foe.  
  
Adrenalin drained from him and he felt his hurts return, but they  
were already reducing as his body recovered.  
  
A man of honour, he thought to himself, as he leaned back on the  
wall, his weapon resting point down on the floor. Does that mean  
Kiyone really might be…?  
  
His heart leaped within him as he heard someone running over, and  
a speeding shape appeared in the direction Kova had pointed in,  
about thirty metres from him, seemingly holding something out  
before it. He shifted slightly and the person quickly spun around,  
the object in its hands pointing at him.  
  
"Kiyone…?" He managed, his sweat streaked face breaking out into  
a smile.  
  
"Operative 231?" Kiyone managed, shocked, as she lowered her  
blaster. "What are you doing here?" She took in his appearance,  
and his clothes. "Grey?" The colour of mourning. "Where's your  
uniform?" She asked, as she drew near, stepping slowly, both  
hands held on her GP blaster.  
  
"You're all right…" He managed, expressing surprised joy in his  
voice, and his vision started to blur with tears of joy, as the one his  
eyes lit upon the one he thought dead.  
  
"He's been here, hasn't he?" She questioned, her expression tense,  
eyes scanning the area warily, standing some ten metres from the  
operative. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the officer stand  
upright, and painfully move nearer. "He hurt you?"  
  
"Not more than I did him." He replied, for his burns were already  
becoming less visible. "I managed to take some blood out of that  
bastard." The operative's eyes opened wide as Kiyone turned to  
stare at him, eyes blazing with intense hatred. "Chief Inspector?"  
  
*You* ruined this night for me! And you dare call *him* that, he who  
let you hurt him for *me*!?  
  
Kiyone closed her eyes, licking her lips, trying to quell the rising  
anger.  
  
He's just another cop. He's just following orders.   
  
"I'm okay, just upset." She licked her lips again and opened her  
eyes, relaxing as she realised there was nothing to fear from the  
darkness. "Where's Detective Mitsuki?" She remembered she was  
no longer the head of this assignment. "Sir?"  
  
"Urm, I left her on board the Midorishu…" the operative grinned  
nervously. True, Mitsuki *had* been left on board Midorishu, only  
she was unconscious… "And you don't have to call me sir, Kiyone."  
  
"Indeed." Kiyone felt odd, it seemed the man was making advances  
to her, as they walked to another street, where it was lighted,  
towards her apartment. "Sir."   
  
The operative frowned, hearing the cold tone in her voice as she  
walked ahead of him.  
  
I am losing her!  
  
But you never had her, you numbskull. She never knew of you,  
never knew you existed…  
  
"Chief Inspector Kiyone?" He tried.  
  
Irritated, she spun around to face him. "What do you want, *sir*?"  
The after effects of intoxication meant her resentment at being  
assigned under this man was thinly veiled. Although she was a  
Chief Inspector while he was just another operative, by rights of  
assignment hierarchy he was nevertheless her superior.  
  
"Seion's the name, not sir." He smiled, holding out his hand to her.  
"Just Seion."  
  
Kiyone just stared blankly at his hand. In the relative short and rare  
periods they were assigned outside their special forces teams,  
SpecOps didn't normally announce their names. They were  
assigned to a mission, deployed, and gone again.  
  
But there was something odd in the way he watched her. Like Kova  
there was no desire within, just a person trying to reach out, but a  
person reaching for something else…  
  
The light shone on Seion's dark green hair, and lighted on his  
curling smile. The way he spoke, the way he moved, the way he  
carried himself… Distant memories stirred, from what seemed so  
long ago. Faces flitted out from behind the musty curtains from the  
back of her mind.  
  
A framed photo on the chair at the table… Wisps of curling light  
green hair…  
  
Kiyone started from her reverie, eyes widening as in the darkness  
behind Seion's shoulder she saw a flicker of movement in the  
shadows, and an almost ghostly glow of blue, almost as though the  
owner could speak right into her head.  
  
If he irritates you Kiyone, all you need to do is give the word.  
  
Seion spun around as he saw her eyes glaze over and her  
expression lock in apprehension.   
  
"It's that villain!!" He cried, gripping his trident tightly as the black  
handgun rose up…  
  
He's going to shoot! Kiyone thought…  
  
Quickly she stepped behind him, half blocking his view, and opened  
fire with her own blaster. Golden beams, aimed just slightly off  
tangent, sliced through the darkness of the night, as the shadow  
melted away.  
  
"Damn, we let him…!"  
  
"Forget it, sir. You're hurt, and he won't come after you, not with me  
here…" She replied, her eyes scanning carefully, though she had  
no doubt he would take the hint.  
  
Seion's gaze darted around suspiciously, searching for a sign, but  
he saw none. "All right, I'll spare the lucky bastard's hide this time  
round."  
  
Kiyone's brows knitted in irritation. "I say we move where he can't  
get to us so easily."  
  
"Fine." Seion replied. "Lead the way." The ache from his pains,  
though still substantial, was receding gradually, and his mind was  
clearing. "What about you, Kiyone? How did you survive that  
criminal's attack earlier?" Seion asked, as he followed behind her,  
still on the alert.  
  
The detective's face darkened at the memory. "I am a 2nd class Chief  
Inspector, sir."  
  
"Bah, forget that!" He said amiably, although it was too amiably in  
Kiyone's opinion. "Just call me Seion, and I'll call you Kiyone…"  
  
Kiyone ground her teeth but another flashback… dark green hair,  
emerald eyes…  
  
But I've never seen him before… or have I?  
  
A series of jumbled images came back to her, of the sight of her  
mother's back as she left her when she was six; at twelve when she  
had ordered her mother away; the day of the posthumous award;  
her graduation from the Academy… Places, events, but of the  
successions of myriad faces and people she met and remembered,  
none of them was this man walking behind her…  
  
"Kiyone?" He asked, sounding worried.  
  
She shook her head, trying to dissipate the gathering mists of  
nostalgia. "Nothing, just thinking…" Her eyes widened as Seion  
stepped in front her, regarding her in a worried manner. "Officer  
231?"  
  
"Are you all right?" He bent down before her, looking up at her face  
with concerned eyes.  
  
"I'm… fine!" Kiyone angrily moved away from his gaze. "Stay back!"  
  
Operative 231 stepped back, his face a little chagrined but  
nevertheless not expressing overt fear.   
  
God this is *hard*. Luckily Mitsuki told me a little something about  
her or she might have been seriously pissed off with me by now…  
Mustn't be my usual brash self…  
  
He swallowed his disappointment, and asked again. "How did you  
survive his attack?"  
  
"I was lucky, the GP blaster was set on Stun. Then Washu and  
Tenchi came in before he could…" She winced inwardly at the lie.  
"…hurt me and when I came to I was more or less alright."  
  
"Well, I'll be!" He murmured as he got up. "You must be one heck of  
a lucky to get away from that frigging bastard." He fingered the front  
of his body, still throbbing with some residual pain from the blast  
earlier. "Hell, I learnt that the hard way."  
  
"Right, sir." Kiyone nodded, as they reached the steps to her  
apartment.  
  
"No mercy to those f***ers." His eyes narrowed. "They want war,  
fine – we'll give 'em war." Kiyone tried to hide her dissatisfaction.  
Though her mother had been in the Special Forces too, she never  
remembered her mom going on in this manner… "They'd sooner  
twist your head off than talk, so I don't want you anywhere near him  
without putting two holes in his chest with your blaster, Kiyone."  
  
Every word bit into her, like sharpened fangs of cold steel…  
  
"Y… y…" She paused a while, trying to let her voice steady and cool  
her anger down. "…s…"  
  
She can't seriously be considering parleying with that criminal, can  
she?  
  
His tone became more authoritative. "That's an *order*, Chief  
Inspector Kiyone!"  
  
"Y…yes, sir." She replied, not looking him in the eye.  
  
There was a glint of greyish metal from her skirt pocket as she  
climbed in front of him, GP blaster in one hand… "Hey, what's  
that?"  
  
"What's what?" Kiyone turned around, annoyed.  
  
"That blaster…"  
  
Fortunately Seion was trying to peer at the weapon, so he missed  
seeing her face turn ashen. "Oh that!" Kiyone laughed it off. The  
operative stared up at her, his face a bit puzzled at her rapid  
transformation. "It's a present from Washu! Want to see?"  
  
Seion blinked, then nodded enthusiastically as his eyes lighted up.  
"Yeah, sure!" Washu's weapon! Wow must be something great!  
  
Kova, forgive me… Kiyone thought as she handed it over to the  
operative.  
  
Eager hands seized the weapon, caressing its metal edge. "That's  
funny, this is quite an old device…" He frowned, as he tried to  
remember his weapons specialist training, one of his favourite  
courses. "A primitive space firearm, known as Astral Adaptor, was it  
Model K11, K13? shouldn't be too difficult to figure out why I chose  
these numbers ^_^ No, not right…" Kiyone watched as he twisted  
the explosive enhancer off. "Oh, model K12!" His fingers stroked its  
surface. "Remarkable working order, for a Juraian handgun of over  
a century old." He smiled to himself. "Then again it is noted for  
reliability, durability and consistent operation under most trying  
conditions. Hmm, the Adaptor lives up to its name, it can be fitted  
with most standard enhancers of its time as well as ours…" Kiyone  
got the impression he was just talking to himself, as he turned the  
enhancer over. "This must be what Professor Washu made." He  
looked puzzled as he peered about it, before finally placing it back  
on the blaster and returning it. "Heh, can't seem to figure it out, what  
does it do, Kiyone?"  
  
She stared at his yearning face, looking almost like a little boy  
asking for a present. "Well, I was given to know it amplifies a laser  
beam so it explodes upon impact."  
  
Seion's eyes lighted up with glee. "Cool! Do you think you could get  
Washu to…?" He seemed to remember something. "Oh yeah, don't  
need that, I have my Imperial Tiger…"  
  
"Hmm?" Kiyone asked as they stepped into her apartment. "What  
Impe…"  
  
"Kinda empty in here…" His nostrils twitched to a fragrant aroma.  
"Food!" Seion shouted in glee. "Smells great! Table set for two,  
huh?"   
  
Kiyone's heart constricted as she thought of what might have  
been…  
  
"Man, I'm hungry, can I have some!?" His eyes went to her. "May  
I…" His mirth died as his eyes lighted on her aggrieved, weary  
expression as she sat herself down on the floor. "Kiyone, what's  
wrong?"  
  
"Nothing, it's just that…" She shook her head. "Go ahead and help  
yourself."  
  
"All right, thanks!" Seion launched himself at one plate. "God this  
tastes every mite as good as it looks!"  
  
Kiyone sighed softly as she slumped back against her futon.  
  
I wonder how he's taking it.   
  
The wall facing her and diagonally behind Seion's right seemed to  
blink a little as a door materialised on it. "What the…!?"   
  
And in an instant Seion was up and at the ready.  
  
A piping voice shrilled out as the door opened. "Erm, Kiyo… AHH!"  
  
Seion's fist stopped a couple of centimetres from the person's face,  
before he blinked a moment. "Chie…f Inspector M…Mihoshi!?" He  
stammered, feeling his innards start to quake.  
  
Oh my god does she look different from in her profile…  
  
"Uh…" The blonde managed, her eyes focused solely on the very  
solid looking knuckles that seemed to fill her entire vision. "U…." As  
if undecided on whether to crescendo into a scream or  
decrescendo into silence.  
  
Kiyone felt her face go crimson and a drop of sweat form on her  
forehead.   
  
Oh my god if Seion hadn't showed up Mihoshi would have come in  
while…  
  
Her mind didn't dare follow that line of thought.  
  
Seion finally lowered his fist to to take a good look at her.  
"M…Mihoshi…" Eager green flames danced behind his eyes.  
"Wow…"  
  
Mihoshi blinked, finally absorbing the situation. "Er, who are you?"  
Though her blue eyes were blank with confusion, a glimpse of his  
well muscled chest and right arm, still glistening with some sweat  
from the earlier combat, did raise her eyebrows a little. Her gaze  
went from Seion to Kiyone, who was looking very very tense, her  
crimson face locked up in an expression of utter horror. "Kiyone,  
where is K…!!!"  
  
The operative blinked.  
  
Hey where did the chick go?  
  
His gaze travelled down and to his right, where Kiyone, her face red  
and looking sheepishly guilty, was lying on top of Mihoshi, one  
hand clamped tightly before the blonde's mouth. Seion gulped, as  
another sweatdrop appeared on his forehead.  
  
God, there *is* someone who can move faster than that frigging rat  
of a criminal…  
  
"Kiyone?" He asked, nervously. "Mihoshi?"  
  
"Mmmm? Mmmhph!?"  
  
"Oh nothing." Kiyone smiled. "Let's just say its for old time's sake."  
  
"Mblfl! Mrrgl!"  
  
"If you will step that way a moment, sir, I have something to say to  
my partner."  
  
"Uh…kay."  
  
Kiyone whispered vehemently into Mihoshi's ear as the operative  
drew away. "What the f*** do you think you're doing coming in here  
now!" Her face was still burning. "If it were me and Kova in here  
you'd be lucky to escape from here alive!!"  
  
"Mmmmf?" Mihoshi's eyes were blank, and Kiyone sighed in  
exasperation. She obviously *wasn't* going to get the message.  
"Mmm, mmmfh kph?"  
  
"He's not here. Don't ask about him in front of that man…"  
  
"Muy?"  
  
"*Because* he's a Galaxy Police Special operative." Kiyone fought  
the urge to slap her forehead as Mihoshi's eyes lit up happily. "And  
he's here to catch or kill Kova." Mihoshi's eyes dilated and dimmed.  
"He was fighting Kova just now." Her eyes closed in helplessness.  
"And we *must* follow his orders."  
  
"MMM!? MMMBBPHMB!!!"  
  
"So we must *not* let him know about us and Kova, okay? You are  
*not* to mention Kova in front of either him or Mitsuki, who  
incidentally should be here soon." Her hand squeezed harder on  
Mihoshi's face. "You *understand*!?" Reluctantly, Mihoshi subsided  
and nodded solemnly, at least as best as she could under Kiyone's  
iron grip.  
  
"We're done, sir!" Kiyone got up, releasing Mihoshi. The blonde  
rubbed her jaw, which was gradually regaining feeling.  
  
"Great!" Seion turned around, looking cheered. He smiled at  
Mihoshi as she got up, in her pink blouse and blue jeans, but her  
blue eyes showed only apprehension and mistrust. "Erm, Chief  
Inspector Mihoshi?"  
  
The blonde just looked blankly at him. "Yes?"  
  
Kiyone frowned and elbowed her lightly.  
  
"Erm… sir?" She tried again.  
  
He cast a quick glance at Kiyone, who certainly didn't look very  
inclined to do an introduction. "You can call me Seion, Chief  
Inspector Mihoshi."  
  
"Uh, okay, Seion." Mihoshi replied hesitantly. "Sir."  
  
Seion frowned, turning to Kiyone, who stared back at him a little too  
good-naturedly. "Yes, sir?"  
  
He rolled his eyes. "Look, the two of you don't have to call me sir,  
I'm just Seion, okay?" He repeated himself slowly. "Seion. Just  
Seion."  
  
"Seion…" Mihoshi went thoughtfully. "Seion…?"  
  
"Ma…" The operative's eyes widened and he quickly managed to  
shut his trap. "Erm, never mind…" Kiyone stared at him  
suspiciously, her eyes wide.  
  
Could it be…  
  
"So you'll just call me Seion?" He tried again, hopefully. "And I'll just  
call you Mihoshi and Kiyone, okay?"  
  
"Yeah, fine." Kiyone commented drily. "Now if you don't mind, *sir*,  
I'd like to eat…"  
  
"Yes, please do!" He quickly gestured at the untouched food  
opposite his, and Kiyone settled down there. He looked at the meal  
he had started wolfing on earlier, and looked questioningly at  
Mihoshi. "Erm, Mihoshi…?"  
  
The blonde made a slightly discomfitted face. "Er… no sir..."  
  
Visibly disappointed, Seion sat down opposite Kiyone and  
continued eating, while Mihoshi stood to one side and watched  
mutely.  
  
First Kova takes my place, now this man. They even look like they  
were meant to be together, with their dark green hair, almost like  
they were related…  
  
Kiyone, too, was deep in thought as Seion downed some  
mouthfuls, and her eyes were full of sorrow as her appetite bled  
away.  
  
Now he's taken your place, Kova…   
  
A sad smile formed on her face, as she tried to blink away the tears.  
  
Wherever you are, please don't be too hurt by this. I love you.  
  
=====================================   
  
Her consciousness returned, and her vision swam a little, before  
finally settled down. Blinking once or twice, her mind finally  
registered exactly what she was looking at.  
  
The metallic light blue ceiling of the Midorishu.  
  
Oww, my head hurts…  
  
The brunette detective dragged her elbows into place, hunching her  
head back and looked around the insides of the ship. Operative 231  
was nowhere to be seen.  
  
"Damned." She swore, as she sat up and leaning on one hand,  
massaging the back of her head, her fingers feeling the swollen  
lump there. "Godless asshole sure didn't pull nothing on that." She  
took some breaths, and then jumped to her feet. "Hope to hell he  
has had the crap beaten out of him." She shook her head. "And  
now, I've got to find him…"  
  
=====================================   
  
"Sasami, what are they doing?" Tenchi asked as she emerged from  
the bath. Sounds of activity were going on in Aeka's and Tenchi's  
bedroom, which had been locked up as the two girls sorted their  
swag out away from each other.  
  
"Oh we went shopping…" Sasami yawned. Despite the bath it was  
still rather late for one such as her. "I guess they're unpacking."  
  
Tenchi frowned, curious. "But why lock me and you out of our  
bedrooms?"  
  
"I don't know, Tenchi." Sasami shrugged. "They were discussing  
something back outside, but they didn't want to let me hear." Even  
though Sasami could and did barge in the moment they raised their  
voices so she could have an excuse to listen, they somehow  
managed to get enough said without letting the cat of the bag,  
leaving her still irked with curiosity.  
  
There was a shriek of annoyance from within Aeka's room. Tenchi  
and Sasami watched as the door slammed open and Aeka stormed  
over to Tenchi's room. Her hand tried to slide the door open, but it  
was bolted.   
  
"Open up!" The princess rapped hard on the door. "Ryoko!"  
  
"What now, princess?" The space pirate, sounding irritated,  
drawled back from behind the door.  
  
"You took my…" Aeka bit her lip.  
  
"Yes?" Ryoko sounded amused.  
  
"I order you to open up! NOW!" Aeka fumed.  
  
"Can I help?" Tenchi came over, Sasami tailing him curiously.  
  
Aeka's eye widened. "Er… no!" She quickly stepped over to shut  
the door to her room. "I'll settle this with Ryoko myself!"  
  
Sasami yawned. "Aeka, I'm sleepy…"  
  
"Just a minute please, Sasami." Aeka rapped on the door again.  
"Ryoko! Open up!"  
  
"Give me a while, will you?" Ryoko grumbled, then the door slid  
open, but only by a fraction of a body's width. "Oh, hello Tenchi!"  
She grinned, a little nervously.  
  
"Uh, hi…" Tenchi replied. Ryoko stepped a little way out, as her  
body blocked Tenchi and Sasami's view to within the room, and  
Aeka hurried in. There was a sound of searching inside, and Ryoko,  
looking worried, turned from Tenchi to look in.  
  
"Hey princess, watch that!" She rushed in, her leg closing the door  
behind her.  
  
"Where is it? Where did you put it you… pirate!?" Aeka's voice was  
heard from within.  
  
"What is it you want this time?" Ryoko retorted.  
  
"You return me the…" Aeka's voice stopped as she remembered  
something, and there was a slight murmured whisper.  
  
"THAT!?" Ryoko exclaimed. "Why would *I* have it?"  
  
"It's not in my room!"  
  
"Oh well…" There were more sounds of frenzied searching.  
  
Sasami looked curiously at Tenchi. "I wonder what's going on?"  
  
"Same here."  
  
"Here it is!" Ryoko cried. "How the hell did it get here?"  
  
"Return it to me, you!" Aeka shrilled. "This minute!"  
  
"Yeah, no problem." The space pirate retorted. "Wouldn't want  
anything to do with something as sucky as this."  
  
There was a sharp intake of breath, and Sasami eagerly awaited the  
welcome to barge in if they started quarrelling. They could hear  
Aeka breathing in and out slowly, trying to contain her wrath. "Fine  
then. We shall see which one does better."  
  
"Well I know mine is sure as hell not going to lose to that piece of  
crap!"  
  
"Crap!!! I'll have you know that…"  
  
Sasami scratched her head. "I wonder if they are playing some kind  
of game."  
  
Rrrring!  
  
"Phonecall at this hour…? Must be dad." Tenchi disappeared down  
the steps as a sour faced Aeka emerged from his room, cradling a  
bundle wrapped in yellow plastic.  
  
"Hello, dad?"  
  
"No Tenchi." The voice was soft, furtive, and apparently a little terse.  
"It's me."  
  
"Kova!? I thought you…"  
  
"Get Kiyone." His voice was tense and his words short. "Now."  
  
"Aren't you with…?"  
  
"No I am not." The person hissed. "Kiyone, *now*…"  
  
=====================================   
  
"Huh?"  
  
"It's for you, Kiyone!" Sasami cried, before vanishing back into the  
open doorway.  
  
It's *him*!  
  
Chopsticks clattered down by the practically full plate. "I'll be right  
back! Don't touch my food!"  
  
Not that that was a problem, for Mihoshi was looking a little short on  
appetite, and though Seion had been staring hungrily since he  
finished his portion, it was at something, or rather someone, else…   
  
"Thanks Sasami!" As she emerged into Tenchi's house and hurried  
down the stairs, racing to pick up the phone. "Hello?"  
  
"The river, where we climbed out in the evening." The voice became  
a little caustic. "Take your time if you have to." The speaker became  
a little morose here. "I'll be here all night." There was a click and the  
line when dead.  
  
Kiyone felt her hand go limp, and her expression became anxious  
as she put down the phone.   
  
Kova, please understand…  
  
She licked her lips, feeling the taste of the food she had just eaten  
and froze for a moment, standing stock-still, before hurrying into the  
kitchen.  
  
=====================================   
  
Aeka tucked Sasami in, a tender smile playing on her lips as she  
watched her sister sleep restfully, away from the rather busy day  
she had just passed by. Today, the day her blue haired gem of a  
sister had helped see her through, the day she and Ryoko had  
*actually* agreed on something.   
  
Imagine that… she smiled.  
  
The discussion was somewhat bitter at times though, especially  
about the budget per person. Sasami had stood away from them, as  
they discussed things privately, but would barge in the instant  
either one raised her voice to within her earshot. This she was  
*very* eager to do, especially due to her curiosity, although there  
were quite a few times they had nearly drove Sasami mad with their  
incessant bickering that .  
  
As for the agreement… I don't know.  
  
She turned from her sister, stepping over her empty futon, and  
headed for the main hall, not noticing that Ryo-oh-ki was nowhere  
to be seen, nor in fact, had been seen since they left the house in  
mid-afternoon.  
  
Apprehension filled her heart as she followed the stairs down.  
  
Could she have shown him hers already? Maybe he has already  
accepted hers…  
  
I should never have trusted her!  
  
Frowning, Aeka crushed the fragment of unsolicited advice from her  
old self.  
  
No. Ryoko agreed. Anyway she has always raring for a fight, and  
this time, I'll teach her that she had better think again. But… would I  
really win?  
  
Aeka, halfway down the stairs checked to see if Tenchi had noticed  
her. The boy was sitting watching television, and while Ryoko was  
sitting by his side, unlike her usual self, for she was not hugging or  
even trying to get near Tenchi, just sitting there disinterested.  
  
So she feels the tension too.  
  
Aeka looked back, where just under the sofa beneath Ryoko a box  
shape lay, and she felt herself lose her composure. Meticulously,  
she reminded herself of what lay within the package she held in her  
hands, her fingers tracing lightly the shape of her present, and she  
could see in her mind's eye, the two doves winging side by side, the  
epitome of love and grace.  
  
I *will* win this…  
  
She reached the bottom of the steps, and walked over to the two of  
them, her heart pounding.  
  
"Ahem." She cleared her throat politely.  
  
Tenchi turned around. "Oh it's you Aeka. How is Sasami?"   
  
He missed noting the Ryoko lip sync 'At last, princess!', although  
Aeka did.  
  
"She's sound asleep. It *is* a little late you know."  
  
"Oh, okay. Guess we'd better go too." Tenchi flicked the remote and  
turned the television, before starting to rise. "Huh…?" He stared at  
the two hands holding him down by the shoulders on the couch,  
one Ryoko's, the other Aeka's. "Ryoko? Aeka?"  
  
"Just a moment, Tenchi…" Ryoko whispered, her other hand  
grabbing the box from the ground to hold it behind her as Aeka,  
careful to keep one hand on Tenchi's shoulder, made her way  
around the couch, to settle beside Tenchi.  
  
Tenchi blinked, then his eyes turned from left to right to left to right,  
a sweatdrop forming on his brow, as he realised Ryoko and Aeka  
were both looking expectantly and tensely at him, and neither was  
concerned about the other's presence. In fact they seemed to have  
planned this…  
  
Oh my god… trapped…  
  
"Relax, lord Tenchi." Aeka murmured soothingly. "We just would  
like to present you with some things." Aeka had a hand  
meaningfully behind her back. He turned to see Ryoko doing the  
same, her eyes with that calm, expectant look.  
  
Wild visions ran amok in his mind as he thought of Washu and the  
sample extraction processes, not to mention Ryoko's nocturnal  
sojourn with him to the cave before he knew Washu…  
  
Oh god, help me, some one…!  
  
No, this can't be right! It's Aeka, she wouldn't… would she!?  
  
His eyes bulged wide open as the girls, as one, swivelled their  
hands out from behind their backs and cried in unison. "For you,  
Tenchi!"  
  
"Wha…!?" was all he could get out.  
  
Aeka and Ryoko had let go of him, each one holding out their gift in  
front of him, their eyes shining enthusiastically. Ryoko's one looked  
like a small cubical box of dimensions about fifteen centimetres  
packaged in cyan and silver, while Aeka's wrapped gift looked like  
some kind of even trapezium shape wrapped up in rose, violet and  
gold.  
  
Another teardrop appeared as he realised their intent.  
  
They will want me to decide which present I like more…  
  
Repressing a shudder, he closed his eyes, trying to think like his  
grandfather.  
  
Ryoko and Aeka stared at each other in shock as Tenchi closed his  
eyes.  
  
From the darkness of his mind, Tenchi recalled the Katsuhito's  
teachings…  
  
In both offense and defense, one must remember balance is at all  
times paramount. In every attack there should be adequate defense,  
while in every parry there must lie the will and the potential for a  
strike. Verily, balance is in the nature of everything…  
  
And somehow, he made sense of this. It was a long shot, but still…  
  
Ryoko and Aeka both widened their eyes as Tenchi, eyes still  
closed, curled into a serene smile, before opening his eyes,  
beaming.  
  
"Ryoko, Aeka, thank you for this."He looked at the two gifts held  
before him. "But I'm afraid I cannot accept them…" He flinched  
inwardly as the two girls recoiled from him in unbridled  
astonishment, but he forced himself to continue.  
  
If there is a chance of resolving this without hurting either one, I will  
take it…  
  
"…*unless* both of you exchange your gifts." He grinned from ear  
to ear as the two pairs of eyes before him bulged open in shock. As  
one their incredulous gazes went from Tenchi to the gifts they held  
in their hand, and finally to each other, their mouths gaping like  
goldfish.  
  
"TENCHIIII!!!" Ryoko, the first to recover, screamed. "How could  
you!!!?"  
  
Aeka just stared blankly, her face utterly dumbfounded.  
  
Tenchi looked saddened by Ryoko and Aeka's response. "I was  
hoping the two of you had learnt how to be friends…"  
  
Ryoko and Aeka looked at him, as his head bowed, and reluctantly,  
they exchanged their gifts, with Aeka biting her lip, and Ryoko's  
brows furrowed.  
  
Tenchi looked as the two wrapped gifts were presented to him  
again, albeit on different sides.  
  
"Thank you, Aeka, Ryoko."  
  
Quite randomly, he picked the one in Aeka's hands. Ryoko  
suppressed a tremor of jealousy.  
  
He prefers Aeka over me! But it's my gift…   
  
And she tingled in excitement.  
  
Aeka also felt joy at first as Tenchi took it from her.  
  
He loves me over Ryoko! But it's not my gift…  
  
Tenchi looked at the package, wrapped in cyan and silver. It wasn't  
wrapped very well, there were some rumples here and there, and  
loose ends, but that Ryoko had tried did say something. He was  
going to make a comment thanking her when he remembered Aeka  
was present too, and managed to keep quiet. Carefully he took the  
packaging apart, and felt warm wood beneath it, and then he saw…  
  
Before him, the surface carved in with and painted with cherry  
blossoms, a splendid blend of pink white and touches of light green  
where the leaves showed through…  
  
"Oh my…" Aeka couldn't help saying, as Tenchi stared. It seemed  
that contrary to her earlier beliefs, Ryoko did have a liking for wood  
and trees, and if this were anything to go by, excellent taste too.  
Ryoko smiled to herself as the boy eagerly stripped away the rest of  
the wrapping, while making sure not to tear the wrapping paper.  
  
"This is…" Intricately carved over five of the box's surfaces, were  
designs of cherry blossoms, the portion nearer the top bright with  
lighter colours, like the crown of a tree shining, while beneath it the  
verdant leaves as the pink seemed to dim into softer, sweeter,  
fresher tones, and here and there dashes of light and dark brown  
where the box had not been painted over, obviously referring to a  
tree's trunk. In certain panels, white doves flew by or roosted within,  
the mix of soft white feathers with the pink blossoms and verdant  
leaves could only be described at the very least as "…beautiful."  
  
Ryoko beamed. "Open it, Tenchi!"  
  
Aeka felt her heart sink, but she reminded herself – he hasn't seen  
my present yet. He hasn't, and besides, mine has more meaning. I  
still stand a chance in this…  
  
Reverently, Tenchi opened the box, and a strong fragrance of  
cherry blossoms filled the room. "Hmmm!" Tenchi breathed in deep,  
as Aeka felt something close to admiration arise from the bottom of  
her heart.  
  
Well, Ryoko, it seems I have misjudged you, your gift is quite  
good…  
  
"Oh…!" He murmured, and lifted out from within the box a silver  
locket with a chain made of plain silver. On the surface, in light blue,  
somewhat cyan kanji letters, were the names Tenchi and Ryoko.  
"Ryoko, I'd never thought something could be so splendid…"   
  
Ryoko trembled, almost bursting with exhilaration, as Tenchi,  
smiling dreamily, unthinkingly made to put on the locket.  
  
Aeka quivered at the sight, as a tremor went through her, and the  
bitter realisation struck her and stung hard.  
  
It's *NOT* fair! I lost… *before* he even saw my present…  
  
Tenchi started, just as his hands were about to place the silver  
chain about his neck, as from the corner of his eye he saw Aeka's  
face tremble, and her eyes glisten with tears, as the scene on board  
the Comet came rushing back to him…  
  
Oh no… Tenchi you did it *AGAIN*!  
  
Quickly he reached forward for her.  
  
Ryoko's spirits plunged as the locket slid off Tenchi's chest, into his  
lap and fell onto the floor as he moved to comfort Aeka.  
  
"Tenchi…?" Aeka murmured as he held her by the hands, and  
Ryoko felt her heart ache as waves of anger and rage surged in her  
mind. "I'm sorry…"  
  
"Don't be…" He smiled at her, all the while praying that she would  
cheer up. "You were the one who presented Ryoko's present to  
me."  
  
"But it's not mine…" Aeka half sobbed.  
  
Ryoko stared, feeling a mass of conflicting emotions rise up within  
her as her triumph tore away from her grasp…  
  
THAT BITCH! Pretending to be weak…!  
  
And Tenchii… how could you…  
  
Tenchi continued pleading with Aeka, as misgivings started to form  
in his heart. "I know it's Ryoko's, but as much as I adore it, it is also  
because you were the one who gave it to me."  
  
Ryoko felt her vision waver, feeling last dregs of victory slip away…  
  
Tenchi watched desperately as Aeka trembled.   
  
I have to get her back! He thought.  
  
Quite suddenly he hugged her, his lips brushing by her cheeks  
lightly. Aeka's eyes opened wide with surprised joy while Ryoko's  
mind exploded into starbursts of agony.  
  
…to reveal the chasm yawning at her feet.  
  
"AARRGH!" Ryoko's scream tore through the house, and there was  
a tinkle as something smashed onto the ground.  
  
Quickly, Tenchi spun around, his eyes full of fear at Ryoko's  
anguish. "Ryoko, I…" He felt something crunch underfoot.  
  
Shards of crystal, coloured slightly pink…  
  
Finally, from the time the shards of glass landed on the floor, her  
fleeting moment of euphoria passed, giving way to the sinking  
feeling that had first manifested itself as Ryoko had cried out.  
"RYOKO!!!" Aeka screamed her loss and outrage, her eyes blurring  
with tears. "How could you…?"  
  
Ryoko blinked as she realised what she had done. "Princess, I …"   
  
Aeka howled at her, her anger and rage blinding her judgement.  
"You *lied*! You *AGREED* this was to be a *contest*, and now…!!"  
  
"I *DIDN'T* mean it!" Ryoko shouted back, equally distraught. "It  
hurt…"  
  
Tenchi stopped, his expression frantic and lost, not knowing who to  
comfort…  
  
Oh no, what have I done, what have I done…!?  
  
Aeka screamed a few more tirades of incoherent abuse at Ryoko,  
then fled up the stairs in a storm of tears. Tenchi almost  
automatically went after her, and took three steps before he  
remembered…  
  
"Ryoko, I…" He turned around, his face an apoplectic mask of  
apology and anguish, only to see the space pirate floating in mid air  
over the remnants of Aeka's present.  
  
"Understood," She whispered angrily. "But that doesn't mean *I'll*  
have to bear with it!"  
  
"Ryoko…!" He rushed over.  
  
"Good night," she answered angrily and vanished into nothingness  
as Tenchi's fingers flailed at thin air. The boy stood there, frozen for  
a moment in anger, then threw himself down in frustration, sorrow  
and anger, onto the couch, his eyes brimming with tears…  
  
Balance… Katsuhito whispered sagely in his mind.  
  
"Go to *HELL*!" He cursed aloud. His elbow bumped against  
something, and he realised he could still smell the perfumed  
fragrance of the cherry blossoms.  
  
The box…  
  
His eyes searched the ground, as he made out the shards of pink  
crystal. There was a half a head, another there, a touch of a  
feathered wing…  
  
Doves.  
  
And two loose wrist bands, woven out of what looked like light blue  
and purple fibres that seemed warm to touch. Tenchi picked them  
up, and noticed Ryoko's locket lying on the ground. Reaching for it,  
he found within it a lock of cyan hair.  
  
On a hunch, he looked carefully at the blue and purple wrist bands,  
and realised there were curls of Aeka's purple hair intertwined with  
it.  
  
His eyes searched the ground now, and he realised there was a  
purple stand of about five centimetres tall for the doves, and most of  
the wrapping had clung on to this main component. Holding it up,  
he saw its casing had been cracked, and he could make out the  
mechanism inside. It resembled that of a music box…  
  
Oh Aeka…  
  
He stared into space, breathing in the scent of cherry blossoms in  
the living room, fingers loosely holding the stand with most of the  
wrapping around it.  
  
The main door of the house slid open.  
  
"Ryoko!" Tenchi cried happily, turning around. "Oh…" His spirits  
sunk back into the doldrums again.  
  
"Hmm?" Nobuyuki, who was standing in the door, stared curiously  
at his son. "Tenchi? What are you doing up so late?" He took a  
deep breath. "Ahhh… hey, where does that smell come from?" He  
stared at the mess in the living room before the TV and the couch.  
"And what's all this?" He looked oddly at the remnants of Aeka's gift  
Tenchi cradled in his hands.  
  
"Dad… I upset Aeka and Ryoko… and I don't know what to do  
now."  
  
Nobuyuki's first reaction was to shake his head.  
  
Here I am, trying to keep away so he can have a free rein in a house  
full of pretty young ladies. I *actually* gave up trying to record his  
first time so he could may be buck up and be more free with them,  
and look what does he do? He gets them mad…  
  
He shuddered at the memory of the rare few times Achika had  
turned on him.  
  
"Well, you can tell me all about it, son." Seating himself on the single  
seater sofa beside Tenchi, he took care not to step on any of the  
bigger pieces of Aeka's gift. "Go ahead, you can tell your old dad."  
  
After some more coaxing Tenchi did so, and at the end of it,  
Nobuyuki shook his head. "I'm sorry son, but one thing is for sure.  
You're the one at fault."  
  
"I know." Tenchi sighed.  
  
"Now mind you this is a good guideline for *anything* to do with  
ladies in future. I knew your mom… and I never won a single  
argument with her." His eyes became distant and abstracted. "No  
matter what happens, it's *always* the guy that's in the wrong,  
remember that."  
  
"Yeah yeah, but what do I do?" Tenchi pleaded. "What *can* I do?"  
  
"Well, for starters, you'd have to admit you're wrong." He stared at  
the box, the broken casing and at the shards scattered about the  
ground. "And then after that, they'll still be sore with you for not  
trying to see who has the better present." Here Nobuyuki scratched  
his head, perplexed. Achika had featured largely in his life, as a  
rather expansive character and all encompassing person who had  
pervaded every aspect of his life, but ultimately, she was only *one*  
woman. "Sorry, Tenchi, but I think you'll have to work things out  
with them…maybe fix something back up for them."  
  
"I don't even know what they really like…" Tenchi replied. "Apart  
from hot potatoes, Sasami's cooking, maybe Kova's…"  
  
"The way to a man's heart is through his stomach, or so I read  
somewhere, but I don't think it applies to women…" Nobuyuki  
scratched his head a moment, then stared around the room, before  
his face brightened up a little. "I think I may have realised what they  
like…" Tenchi's ears pricked up. "You see, son, when women love,  
they give what they feel is the best…"  
  
And when Nobuyuki settled down on the couch to sleep some time  
later, the living room was perfectly clean.  
  
=====================================   
  
A really good while ago, as Aeka had left Sasami sleeping…  
  
"Kiyone, where are you going?" Mihoshi asked, as her partner,  
expression tense and worried, yet somehow grim and cold, turned  
from the table and headed for the door.  
  
"Out." She didn't bother to look back as she jerked the front door  
open. It swivelled a full hundred and eighty degrees, slammed  
against the wall, and bounced back slightly.  
  
Seion stared at her. "What *are* you doing, Kiyone!?" His voice was  
flustered. "*He*'s out there…"  
  
"Certainly he's out there." Kiyone paused in the doorway. "But I can  
take care of myself, *sir.*"  
  
"Kiyone, he's dangerous." He tried again, and she grimaced slightly  
as she heard his obvious concern and worry for her, but he couldn't  
see it as she had her back to him. "I know, first hand."  
  
Mihoshi's eyes shone oddly as she stared from him to Kiyone.  
  
Her back still faced to them, Kiyone's lips curled into a cold sneer.  
"Then go hide under the nearest bush." A short pause. "Sir."  
  
Mihoshi felt sorry for the officer as he winced, almost as if from a  
blow, and his energetic green eyes dulled before being lost in the  
shadows as he lowered his face, then suddenly stood up and went  
after Kiyone. "Then I'll go with…"   
  
As his hand landed on her shoulder, Kiyone spun around, her eyes  
smouldering as she batted his hand away. "Back off!" she cried.  
"Haven't you done enough already!?"   
  
Seion stepped back, taken completely by surprise by the ferocity  
and fury in her gaze. His eyes were laced with shock and hurt, and  
his expression was utterly dumbfounded. "Kiyone…"  
  
"And *that* is Chief Inspector Kiyone to you, Operative 231!" She  
retorted.   
  
Mihoshi watched as Seion took another step back, and his  
shoulders bowed as his body stiffened as though he were doubling  
up before a painful blow. Kiyone, having said her peace (or war ^_^  
), turned her back and somersaulted over the edge of the second  
storey balcony to land below, before walking briskly off into the  
night.  
  
Several streets away, on a building opposite, someone's eyes  
lighted up as Kiyone disappeared into the shadows. They noted the  
direction of her passage, but that was all.  
  
Operative 231 stood at the door and watched dumbly as she  
vanished into the shadowed streets, his large frame trembling  
slightly, before he trudged two steps back in, and crumpled into a  
heap on the ground.  
  
"Uh…sir?" Mihoshi asked.   
  
He didn't move.  
  
"Seion?" She licked her lips nervously. His face was wracked with  
anguish, the strain showing clearly on it, and his muscular form  
trembled slightly. "Are… you all right?"  
  
Operative 231 shook his head slowly, his eyes dull and almost  
lifeless.  
  
I wonder if he's in love with… but he has been staring at me, hasn't  
he? He's a GP and everything, but if he wants to hurt Kova, what  
does that make him?  
  
Mihoshi felt confusion well up in her, then Seion shifted slightly,  
stretching his full length out across the floor, lying down and  
staring up at the ceiling. Mihoshi's eyes inadvertantly wandered  
about examining his lion like physique.   
  
His long green hair shone in the light, just like Kiyone's, and the  
emerald eyes were as Kiyone's, introspective and lost in those  
private moments after Mihoshi had dozed off, but even then  
something clicked in Mihoshi's mind.  
  
He even feels like Kiyone, only…  
  
"Mihoshi, could you tell me about her?"  
  
She blinked and the gut feeling vanished into nothingness. "Er,  
what do you want to know?"  
  
"Just tell me everything about her since you met her. *Everything.*"  
  
The blonde stared blankly at him. "Urm… why? Sir?"  
  
"I've… missed so much." His voice was so soft, Mihoshi had to  
strain her ears just to hear him. "So much… of the past…" His voice  
faded away, its softening depth lulling Mihoshi's mind back in time.  
  
Dimly, she saw a cool face and a calm person sitting in the class,  
abstracted and removed from the rest of her peers, attention  
focused solely on the task of learning. Yet this was the same person  
who had picked her up from where she had fallen, and guided her  
out of her wellspring of misery.  
  
"She… was very kind," Mihoshi heard herself say. "She was the first  
one who helped me when…"  
  
A dull ache stabbed her from within at the memory of the deed that  
had led Kiyone to her, before the stab of pain was blunted and worn  
by the memory of Kiyone's concerned yet angry face over hers and  
the words had spoken shone like a beacon from within the recesses  
of her memory.  
  
Seion turned to stare as Mihoshi as her face saddened. "Are you  
all…" Then her pained expression receded to be replaced by  
admiration and strength.  
  
"She was very strong…" Mihoshi murmured as she recalled her  
partner's eyes blazing with righteous wrath as she spoke of being  
betrayed and of not giving up against the odds. She could  
emphathise, she could understand, she was the pillar of strength  
that Mihoshi had leaned upon coming to grips with her true  
situation.  
  
Why she could do so readily though, was something beyond  
Mihoshi's comprehension.  
  
"And she was smart, and really good too." Mihoshi smiled, her  
consciousness retiring into the recollections and reveries of Kiyone  
staying back long past lessons to help Mihoshi out. Of Kiyone  
staying back at the blaster shooting gallery, training Mihoshi and  
shouting endless streams of frustrated exasperation at her, when  
she didn't have to dodge, of course. "There was this time they  
caught us at the shooting gallery without any qualified training  
officers with us. Kiyone went 'How's this for qualifications?', closed  
her eyes and spun herself around. I was going to ask her what she  
was doing when she just fired five times. 'Uh, Kiyone?' I asked as  
she opened her eyes and laughed. That was when I realised the  
officer's face was white. Four bullseyes in the range had been hit,  
and he had a small section of his hair by his temple shaved off."  
Mihoshi giggled at the memory, and Seion couldn't help but break  
into a slight smile.  
  
"She must have been one swell customer."  
  
"Uh, I don't know about that. She always says I get all the attention  
from the guys," Mihoshi missed the boyish grin flashing briefly on  
Seion's face. "But I think there were guys that went for her. They,  
uh…" Her brows wrinkled as she tried to remember. "I think only  
two of them became friends with Kiyone, the rest…"  
  
"The lucky ones got away without any bones broken," Seion  
laughed.  
  
"Oh, how come you know?" Mihoshi peered curiously at Seion.  
  
"Well, I was interested in knowing," He smiled at her, his depression  
finally lifting well and away. "And they always went on and on about  
this fierce lady cop who shared my hair colour and temperament,  
although of course I don't treat ladies the way she treats guys."  
  
Mihoshi blushed at the comment.  
  
"Does she takes good care of you?"  
  
"Yeah, I guess… She gets kinda mad at me at times, but I don't  
know, I think she always meant well," Mihoshi's mind wandered to  
several days before when she had burst in on Kiyone and Kova  
after lunch. "She hurts me sometimes, but she doesn't really  
know… And if she does she always feels sorry for it." She sighed. "I  
wish I could make her happy, but sometimes things just happen,  
and I don't know…" Her expression dimmed. "I do such stupid  
things and she gets so upset… sometimes I just wish someone  
could come and take care of me, then she wouldn't have to be so  
upset all the time."  
  
Seion's eyes widened. Was she asking him something, hinting  
something? A cursory glance at her face told him she was lost in a  
world of her own imagination, her eyes far away…  
  
"And my new partner would take care of me, would *never* be upset  
with me no matter how stupid the things I do, and we should be so  
close to Kiyone so we can always drop by and visit her!" Mihoshi  
ended off enthusiastically. "Oh how *wonderful* that would be." She  
looked back at Seion, who was staring at her with a shocked  
expression. "Oh oops, sorry." She blushed slightly, embarrassed. "I  
didn't mean to start talking about myself." She sighed. "I wonder if it  
will ever happen. You know, I was so scared when Kiyone got a…"  
Her eyes widened into two round moons, and her voice trailed away  
into silence.  
  
There was a long moment of silence as Seion stared at her, with a  
finger on her lower lip, her face utterly shocked and bewildered,  
before curiosity finally took hold of him. "Mihoshi?"  
  
"Ooops."  
  
"Mihoshi, what happened to Kiyone?"  
  
"Ooops."  
  
"Mihoshi?"  
  
"Huh!?" She started suddenly. "Oh sorry, I…" Her voice gradually  
died away again.  
  
Seion resisted the sudden impulse to stand up and run his hand  
through her blonde hair.  
  
She looks so kawaii, so confused and perplexed…  
  
"Mihoshi?"  
  
"Yes?" She looked curiously at him. "Uh…. sir?"  
  
The operative rolled his eyes. "Seion, just Seion."  
  
"Uh, yeah." A pause. "Sure. Seion."  
  
"What did Kiyone get, Mihoshi?" Seion fought the urge to bite his  
lip.  
  
But he hadn't heard of any attachments or anyone who had come  
anywhere close unless… it was here on this planet and… the  
*boy*!?   
  
*NO*! It couldn't be!   
  
He was jolted out of his thoughts as Mihoshi's voice broke in on his  
thoughts. "Sorry, sir, uh I mean Seion, but I don't think she'd like me  
to tell you about it."  
  
"Oh, I see. Then could you tell me more about the two of…" Seion  
ears pricked up warily to the soft sound of a step. Mihoshi blinked  
as he interposed himself between her and the open door, his  
handgun pointing out and at the ready at the door, and the length of  
the queer trident strapped on his back right before her eyes.  
  
"Uh, sir?"  
  
Seion ignored her, his eyes searching warily, handgun shifting  
cautiously from side to side. "Back for more?" He asked the figure  
that had just ascended the stairs, while fervently praying nothing  
had happened to Kiyone.  
  
A female voice, sounding somewhat indignant, rang out. "It's me,  
you idiot!"  
  
"Oooh…" Mihoshi watched as Mitsuki, in complete GP uniform,  
stepped closer towards them, her expression disgruntled and her  
arms held up.  
  
Seion scowled at her as he lowered his handgun. "*You*, will call  
me sir, understood?"  
  
"Yeah, in fact very well." She replied as she walked over and into  
the apartment, her words cold and bitter. "You stupid asshole, why  
the hell you hit me so hard!?"  
  
"You were in my way," Seion retorted. "I had to get here."  
  
"And *you* were letting your emotions get in the line of duty!"  
  
"If that sorry bastard had really killed her, he should get everything I  
give him." His face darkened with anger. "You tried to slow me  
down knowing her life could be at stake."  
  
"What the crap are you ranting!? Kiyone's fine, I just saw her leave  
this place." Her eyes rolled innocently up. "She didn't look too  
happy, guess you must have pissed her off." She smiled  
sardonically as the operative's face darkened. "And even if she had  
been killed earlier so be it, we still have a job to do!"  
  
"HEY!" Mihoshi cried, stepping beside Seion. "That's my partner  
you're talking about!"  
  
Mitsuki seemed to realise Mihoshi's presence for the first time, and a  
resentful sneer of a smile formed on her face. "Oh my oh my. If it  
isn't Chief Inspector Mihoshi," she lauged derisively, before her  
eyes blazed in bitter anger and jealousy. "God… how I curse the  
fates that has brought me lower than even the likes of you…"  
  
There was a blur of movement, and Mitsuki's head tensed reflexively  
as Seion's palm stopped a centimetre from her cheeks. "I don't like  
hitting women." He growled. "Once for Kiyone is enough, don't  
force me to make this second exception."  
  
Mitsuki backed down, her anger almost palpable as she gestured at  
Mihoshi. "Why the hell do you care? Who is *she*, to *you*!?"  
Mihoshi grimaced, for the vehemence in her voice could be heard,  
and the detective practically spat the words 'she' and 'you.' "And  
Kiyone, who is she to you too, huh?"  
  
"That's none of your business!"  
  
"No offence, *sir*," Mitsuki retorted tartly. "But it *is* my business.  
Are Chief Inspectors Kiyone and Mihoshi not on our assignment  
team?"  
  
Seion's scowl deepened, but he did not reply.  
  
"Erm, couldn't we all just sit down and talk it out nicely, huh?"  
Mihoshi tried.  
  
"No problem, *Chief Inspector*," Mitsuki retorted sarcastically. "As  
soon as 231 here tells me why in the world did he break out from HQ  
for the two of you."  
  
"Huh!?" Mihoshi asked, astounded. "He what!?"  
  
"Yup, that he did that all right, this chum over here." Mitsuki grinned  
meaningfully at Seion. "Good ole 231, always to the rescue, always  
the one disobeying orders…"  
  
"Mitsuki…" He growled.  
  
"Yes, 231?" She smiled at him, then turned her attention to the  
blonde. "Mihoshi, you do want to know, don't you?"  
  
"Uh huh… I want to know how did you all get here."  
  
"Yeah, you should have seen *him*," Mitsuki replied. "He was  
drunk, just grabbed me like that. I was going to shout blue murder  
and give him the good old between the legs, but he went 'Black  
listed? Needa break?' And I nodded and he went. 'Mitsuki?' and I  
nodded again. 'Ah needa pair of wings…and ya needa break…" And  
that was when someone came running shouting "231!" and he told  
them to f*** off, added an 'And so this way…'and just hauled me in."  
Mitsuki looked at Seion, staring at her testily. "Must admit, I  
expected better treatment from him." She rolled her eyes, telling  
Mihoshi lady to lady style, pointedly not noting Seion's expression.  
"But no, it was just f*** this and f*** that, and not a single thank you  
for flying him through space here. Hell, nHe;Henot just to me but I  
figure some guys back at HQ got really pissed at him too. Look at  
me, two days in a ship with him and with nothing to show for it but a  
*really* nasty bruise on my head." She allowed herself a slight  
smirk, as Mihoshi's eyes widened. "If I had gotten here a day earlier  
you'd see me stinking of alcohol. Lucky for me the booze ran out."  
She shook her head and did a rather convincing shudder, at least to  
Mihoshi's eyes. "Man, those two days, I'd rather not remember 'em.  
And as for this chum… well I wouldn't be no friend if I didn't warn  
you to look out for him." She looked earnestly into Mihoshi's  
trusting blue eyes. "Oh, and help me pass that to Kiyone too, will  
you? Just between friends, 'course."  
  
Mihoshi, eyes wide, turned to stare at Seion, distrust and disgust  
creeping up from within them   
  
Seion blinked, his anger turning rapidly into apologetic guilt as  
Mihoshi shrank back away from him, before managing to shut his  
jaw that had been hanging open.  
  
Oh shit…  
  
"Look, Mihoshi, it wasn't like that…" He tried.  
  
"Yeah," Mitsuki added, her face perfectly straight. "It could probably  
have been a lot worse."  
  
"Look, I was upset, you see…" He forced himself to ignore Mitsuki.  
Any more anger directed at her would probably turn Mihoshi  
completely against him.  
  
"And why, pray tell?" Mitsuki pressed.  
  
Seion licked his lips. "The report had just came in about the Yagami  
being destroyed. I had been flipping through the files to see who  
knew her before, and I am sorry to say, thought 1st Class Detective  
Mitsuki just happened to be ideal for the job."  
  
Mihoshi listened dumbly.  
  
"Well, you certainly picked the *right* lady who to put up with your  
nonsense. And what the hell does the Yagami have to do with you,  
Special Operative 231?" Mitsuki asked tartly. "What's so important  
about it?"  
  
Seion closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Kiyone."  
  
Mihoshi took another step back. "Just who *are* you?"  
  
Seion, looking hurt at the distrust in Mihoshi's eyes, took a step  
forward towards her, but Mihoshi retreated further. "I'm sorry,  
Mihoshi, but I can't tell you…" The odd glimmer remained in  
Mihoshi's eyes. "It's just between me and Kiyone…"  
  
"But I've *never* seen you before and she's *never* mentioned you  
either!"  
  
Seion winced at the Mihoshi's carelessly keen remark that dug deep  
in. "She doesn't know me yet, I guess… But I can promise you and  
Kiyone I'd *never* hurt either of you, ever!"  
  
Mitsuki nudged the operative slightly. "231, you're letting your  
emotions get in *our* assignment's way again. We're here to arrest  
or eradicate a criminal, not for you to fraternise with our two  
resident Chief Inspectors." She sighed exaggeratedly as her eyes  
swivelled to the blonde. "Well, Mihoshi, just a friendly reminder he's  
the one calling the shots around here, we've got to do what he  
says." She grinned meaningfully. "So if he asks for favours, you'd  
better think twice about saying no…"  
  
Mihoshi's eyes widened as Seion's face reddened in fury.  
  
"That's a load of F***ING bullshit! I'm *NOT* that kind of person!"  
Seion exploded.  
  
"Well, you've sure fooled me." Mitsuki pointed out insidiously.  
  
"Mihoshi, I just…" his eyes saddened as he saw her withdraw  
further and further from him. "…need some time."  
  
The blonde stared at him, unsure of what to say.  
  
"Please…"  
  
Mitsuki smiled to herself, savouring the sight of seeing Seion in so  
much discomfiture. "Ah well, enough fun for one night, 231." Seion  
scowled at the insultingly patronising tone of her voice. "We've got  
an assignment to work on, right?"  
  
Licking his lips nervously, he cast a quick glance at the still hesitant  
Mihoshi, before relenting. "All right…"  
  
"Well, Mihoshi, how are you and Kiyone doing with our quarry?"  
  
"Huh? Quarry?" Mihoshi replied blankly.  
  
Mitsuki rolled her eyes.  
  
God! *This* is a 2nd Class Chief Inspector!?  
  
"Look, in case you forgot we're *supposed* to be here hunting for a  
criminal, you got that!?" She stared at Mihoshi. "A Class 'A'  
Criminal, you know, a Kova Kashiro, hmm?"  
  
Mihoshi blinked in confusion, then blanched white as the realisation  
sank in.  
  
"Hey, what's wrong?" Seion asked. "Mihoshi, are you all right?"  
  
Mihoshi blinked again. "Uh yah…" She stared back at Seion and  
Mitsuki, one watching her with concern, the other with suspicion.  
"Yeah, yah, I'm all right…" As if to disprove this point, she sat down  
on the floor, blue eyes staring vacantly into space.  
  
"Mihoshi?" Seion, concerned, squatted down beside her.  
  
Mitsuki sighed. "Look, we just want to know where the guy is and  
how things are."  
  
"I don't know…" the blonde mumbled.  
  
"Yeah right, you expect me to believe that?" Somehow she had a  
hunch Mihoshi was lying, the blonde didn't usually react this way.  
"Kiyone had said the two of you were discussing some terms with  
him, and you don't even have *any* idea where or how to contact  
him?"  
  
"Uh, I don't," Mihoshi murmured. "Really." Her eyes met Mitsuki's,  
earnest and open.  
  
Now this was odd, Mitsuki decided. Mihoshi had never been good at  
dissembling, and she was clearly telling the truth now…  
  
"But how or why?" Seion asked this time, his face level with hers,  
and his voice was more gentle. "Kiyone said…"  
  
Mihoshi nodded. "Uh huh, but only Kiyone really knows how to talk  
to him. I don't really know that much, except his name…"  
  
Seion stared at Mitsuki in surprise. Even he, a stranger to Mihoshi,  
could just catch of whiff of the implication behind this statement.  
Mitsuki shrugged in response, hiding her own surprise well and not  
showing a flicker of emotion on her face.  
  
"Looks like you shouldn't have let her leave, 231."  
  
"She's her own, Mitsuki." Seion muttered. "She's not mine to order  
around."  
  
"Oh, so you can order me around, is that it!?" Mitsuki let a touch of  
anger into her voice. "Anyway you're the commanding officer for  
this assignment, you could have ordered her to stay in." She threw  
her hands up into the air. "Great, so Kiyone just walked out on us,  
and we have no idea where this criminal is. Fine, we'll just sit and  
wait for her to come back." She was about to plonk herself  
comfortably down on the floor when she heard something.   
  
"No." Seion uttered softly. "He's nearby."  
  
A sinking feeling rose up in her. "How do you know?"  
  
"I fought him, just now." Seion's eyes closed. "He is dangerous,  
Mitsuki. Very much so." His gaze turned to Mihoshi. "Isn't he?"  
  
"I, uh…" She stared, looking extremely unsure. Snatches of the  
combat before the Masaki household, against the cyborgs holding  
Nobuyuki hostage, briefly shot through her mind, how the streaks  
of red and blue energies had pierced the night. "I should think so…"  
  
Mitsuki blinked once, then again. "So that guy is lurking around and  
*you* let our *only* means of getting to our target go out there  
alone!?"  
  
Seion was about to retort in his own defence when…   
  
"She'll be okay." A detached but confidence voice replied.  
  
Mitsuki and Seion both started, their brows knitting together in  
confused surprise as they turned to stare at Mihoshi, her eyes still  
blank and vacant. "What?"  
  
The blonde detective somehow managed to maintain a continual  
look of perplexity as she looked at them. "Huh, why you staring at  
me like that?"  
  
"You said…" Mitsuki tried.  
  
"Kiyone will be fine." As she confidently announced her stand,  
Mihoshi seemed to sink into a deeper spell, her mind unconsciously  
attempting to delve deeper into the persona and motivation of  
someone, but somehow along the way it got confused who she was  
trying to figure out… Faces of Kova, then Seion, Mitsuki, the Galaxy  
Police Headquarters blinked in and out, she failed to focus, her  
mind unused to this sort of wracking.  
  
I don't know, I don't know what to do, or what he is! Something cried  
out in her.  
  
Mitsuki and Seion stood up together, the operative declaring. "Sure,  
but I still think we better go look for her for her anyway." He cocked  
the black handgun he called the Tiger Cub in his hand. "She might  
be able to take care of herself, but I doubt she could apprehend him  
by herself."  
  
"And I say the sooner we wrap this up the better." Mitsuki added, as  
she thought of returning to Headquarters for a promotion and to  
wipe out that accursed black mark by her name, courtesy of the  
failed attempt to capture Kiyone a year ago, plus being made the  
scapegoat when the rightful rulers of Jurai returned to power. "Let's  
go."  
  
Mihoshi didn't move, her mind still wandering…  
  
What do I do? I can't tell them or go with them but they're Galaxy  
Police officers and everything and I still don't know who he is… Oh  
all this is so worrying goodness knows what they'd do if they find  
him and if only Kiyone were here… but no she isn't and I don't know  
what to do!  
  
And there is me and Kiyone… is he trying to…? No but she  
has…and what about me?  
  
"Mihoshi?" Seion tried, as Mitsuki, sighing in exasperation, was  
making for the door.  
  
"Forget her, 231! Every second you spend trying to get her out  
means the further our quarry gets from us!"  
  
Seion ignored Mitsuki and tried again. "Mihoshi?"   
  
"Oh… huh!?" The blonde arose out of her mental reverie.  
  
"Come on, get your blaster and we can go."  
  
"Err…" Mihoshi "Where're we going?"  
  
"We've got a rat to catch."  
  
Mitsuki rolled her eyes as Mihoshi stared blankly at Seion. "231, go  
easy on her, okay? Remember, that's *Mihoshi* you're dealing  
with." She directed her next line at the blonde. "Mihoshi, 231 means  
to complete our assignment by apprehending ing Kova Kashiro."  
  
Mihoshi knitted her brows together. "Sorry, but I'm not going with  
the two of you." She shook her head resolutely. "Kiyone *will* be  
fine, and I don't think she'll like it."  
  
Seion briefly entertained thoughts of ordering Mihoshi to come with  
them, but her eyes had already lost their focus. For a moment he  
wondered if he ought to give in to Mihoshi, who indirectly reinforced  
Kiyone's earlier request not to accompany her, before he  
remembered he was above all a cop, and on an assignment. "Well,  
whatever you say, then," he sighed to Mitsuki. "Just watch out, he  
knows where this apartment is."  
  
Mihoshi didn't reply. Seion, looking a little nonplussed, turned over  
to face Mitsuki who stared irritably from the doorway at him. "Come  
on, let's go. At least this way we don't have to share any credit with  
that bimbo in there."  
  
Seion scowled at her comment, and the two walked down stairs in  
silence. They might not like each other at all, but one provided the  
range and the other provided the punch…  
  
"Now which way did you see Kiyone go?"  
  
"That way." Mitsuki pointed in a direction.  
  
"Hmm, just a general direction. Well, we'll just have to sweep the  
vicinity. Take care when you're on reconaissance, I don't want you  
detected or you'll be down in a blink of an eye."  
  
"I figured that out." She smirked. "And what's with all the concern?"  
  
"You're part of my team. End of story." He thought a little. "Even if  
you see Kiyone, don't show yourself. He might be watching her,  
especially if they're negotiating, and also if he's preparing to take  
her out."  
  
Seion flexed his right arm which held his handgun the Tiger Cub,  
while his left hand's fingers caressed the warm wooden surface of  
the Tiger Trident's hand behind him. Even Mitsuki had to admit he  
looked impressive, for his muscular body rippled as he moved  
soundlessly, his green eyes and face cool and confident, and  
although the burnt and blackened surface of the front of his half  
robe belied his seemingly invulnerable poise, it made him seemed  
more ragged and feral.   
  
"Time to go hunting," his face shook away the softness and  
concern he had shown to Mihoshi within the apartment, and was  
filled with the touches of animal anticipation and thrill of the hunt,  
his eyes narrowing into wary slits as somehow his stance and  
bearing became predatory. "We have a rat to flush out."  
  
"I thought you were trying to impress on me how dangerous he is."  
Mitsuki commented drily.  
  
"He is." Seion's expression became grim. "And that makes the hunt  
all the more thrilling and exciting."  
  
=====================================   
  
Her footsteps were soft light taps on the concrete, as her  
destination drew near. The orange glow of the streetlamp shone on  
her hair and shoulders, but not on her face, as her fingers wrapped  
around the cold metal railings.  
  
Before her, the shimmering surface of the river sparkled, its jet  
surface reflecting the myriad lights from the stars in the heavens  
and those from the concrete jungle. Emerald eyes stared sadly  
upon them, into their dark depths, that seemed to gleam with tiny  
fragmented motes of the light above.  
  
"So, was I tailed?" She asked to no one in particular, but her voice  
carried.  
  
A shadow melted out from under the eaves of the roof of a building  
nearby, half sliding down from over six storeys to land noiselessly  
below. "Not to my knowledge."  
  
The orange light shone on him as he soundlessly moved within its  
radius, where his white long sleeved shirt was stained crimson over  
his left shoulder. Although his pale face was grim and set, but the  
eyes were morose and melancholy.   
  
Kiyone turned from the river, slowly, to face him. Her long hair  
billowed about in the cool wind, but though the sadness could be  
seen in her expression, there was a light touch of hope and joy.  
"For you," her hand raised towards him, holding up the meal she  
had saved from just before.  
  
Drawing near, he regarded it, surprised pleasure momentarily  
sweeping away his melancholy, and his darkened sapphire eyes lit  
up for an instant as his expression softened. "I'm surprised you  
remembered." The bitterness was still present in his voice, as the  
light on him diminished, but there was a tender touch that blunted  
the cutting edge it had possessed on the phone.   
  
"Is your shoulder all right?"   
  
His cufflinks flapped loosely in the breeze. "Right enough." His  
gruff reply was heard as he took the food from her. "None of your  
concern, really." Glancing at the contents, his brows furrowed.  
"Someone has worked on this before."  
  
"Yeah." She tried to force a smile.   
  
Kova watched her, his eyes shining oddly odd. "He took my share  
didn't he?" Leaning back on the railing and the lamppost, his hand  
picking up the plastic spoon, he gingerly took a mouthful, but his  
gaze never left her face for a moment.  
  
Kiyone pursed her lips together. "That he did."  
  
He let out a long breath, and his head bowed, as he stared at  
Sasami's work. "You didn't eat very much either." His hand  
stretched out, holding the fare to her. "Want more?"  
  
Her lips quivered, nearly breaking her smile as she recognised his  
gesture.   
  
Rejection.  
  
"Look, Kova-chan, it wasn't what it seemed."  
  
"Yeah, I know." His tense body relaxed, almost in defeat, as he let  
his length slide down the pole, to sit on the floor at her feet, then  
raised his head to stare her straight in the face as the packeted meal  
was placed on the ground behind the lamppost. Sapphire stones  
shone out, trying to pierce through the green windows into her soul  
behind. "Your blaster was aimed to miss, I know." Not that it had  
hurt any less. "But the rest…? The meal…?"  
  
Her strained smile faded away as the baleful, chill green flames of  
jealousy flared up within the azure pupils. "I… had to act so we were  
no longer in your territory…"  
  
"You know as well as I do I have no territory." A bitter pause. "Not  
anymore."  
  
Kiyone winced at his incisive comment, her teeth biting her lip. "No.  
You still do."  
  
For a moment Kova felt remorse well up in him, and though dark  
anger blazed for a moment longer, it died, leaving only hollow  
sadness. "I really don't know how to take this, Kiyone."  
  
"There is *nothing!*" Her voice was vehement, charged, and on the  
verge of breaking, before diminishing. "…for you to have to take."  
  
"No, he feels for you, Kiyone. I could sense that, even before he  
even saw you, when we were battling in the streets." He smiled, a  
bitter, mocking smile, but not without a twinge of happiness. "The  
two of you… fit. You *do* look like you deserve to be together."  
  
Her lips opened to refute that, but Seion's features reappeared in  
her mind, and she fell silent.  
  
"He has your eyes, your hair. He has a flaming temperament you  
would have matched if you were born male. He has a job that goes  
hand in hand with yours."  
  
Brief snatches of the past flashed through Kiyone's mind, to be  
swallowed up almost instantly.   
  
Kova's eyes dimmed further as he saw her eyes dilate, temporarily  
unseeing as she tried to place Seion's face. A pain, soft, but steadily  
increasing by degrees, had been gnawing within him, but now it  
suddenly welled, and a swift stab of excruciating agony struck him.  
His eyelids shut, and a line of tears flowed down his face. "Kiyone,  
he's a *cop*, not a *criminal*. The two of you could make a *perfect*  
team, unlike us, one in darkness and the other in light." She started  
at the sound of his tremulous voice, almost breaking towards the  
end. "And I'm *sure* he will take care of you." A quick stream of  
thoughts, possibilities streaked through his mind. "I could leave…"  
  
Kiyone's mouth opened in horror, her eyes widening, but he  
continued unabated.  
  
"…or I could…" He paused a while, his mind pondering it.  
  
Yes I could…  
  
In that moment, Kiyone saw his expression soften as the tides of  
fury, disappointment and jealousy gently drew away from him,  
leaving his slowly opening eyes with only warmth and love that  
shone through the despondency, and hot tears flowed freely down  
over his cheeks. "…further both your promotional prospects?" He  
closed his eyes restfully at the thought.  
  
If by my death I could not only benefit you but also someone close  
to you, then…  
  
A comely, fragile smile that was at once full of sorrow and joy gently  
formed on his face, a heartbeat before velvet softness and soothing  
warmth enveloped him, and strands of hair gently brushed his face,  
as comforting arms encircled him and held him close.  
  
"Oh, Kova…" she whispered, touched but also tortured. "How  
could you ever say such thing? How could you ever *think* that of  
me?" Her head sunk down to rest onto his right shoulder, and she  
buried her face in it, trembling.  
  
Kova's eyes opened, and though his vision was still blurred, his  
arms held her tight to him.  
  
"I never thought that of you," he gently tilted his head to kiss her  
green hair lightly. "I only thought what was best for you." Her hair  
shimmered slightly as his tears continued their descent from his  
chin down along their shining surface, while his dark blue hair  
danced lightly over them to the lull of the wind.  
  
"*That* is not true!" She murmured, hurt. "It…"  
  
"…would certainly be easier than *this,*" his voice was soft and  
gentle.   
  
Her body tensed suddenly, and her arms gripped him tenaciously,  
as she raised her head, hard emerald eyes glistening with moisture  
staring him straight in the face. "I *don't* need it easy." Quite  
suddenly, almost savagely, she pressed her lips hard onto his.  
Kova's eyes widened in surprise, but passion took hold of him, and  
the thought fled from his mind as he responded. "I need *you,*" she  
said, as their lips parted.  
  
"Kiyone-chan…" His voice trembled, and she smiled back at him,  
watching as he blinked to clear his visions, banishing the veil of  
sorrow and jealousy that had clouded his mind. "I hold in my arms  
the most beautiful, wonderful person that anyone could ever have  
the fortune to know and love." Ever so slowly, a smile crept up his  
face again, only this time it was unmarred by his fears, radiating joy  
that seemed to spill over from his being to hers. "And if for all that I'd  
have to die this moment, my *only* regret will be that I will have hurt  
you in doing so."  
  
Kiyone remained silent, not quite knowing what to say. "You mean  
nothing less to me than what I mean to you." She stared lovingly  
and yet earnestly at him. "And you *must* remember that." Her voice  
hardened almost imperceptibly. "*Always.*"  
  
He noted it though, and his expression dimmed again. "I'm sorry,  
it's just that… I've never felt this way about anyone before and… it's  
not easy." He voice softened again. "I'm… scared."  
  
"Don't be." Gently, Kiyone pulled him closer, as always, taking care  
not to brush his injured shoulder and the recovering wound in his  
left side. He could feel her soft breath along the back of his neck, the  
way her chest moved up and down gently against his, the faint  
distinctive fragrance that he had come to associate with her. "Don't  
*ever* be."  
  
"I'll try," he promised, uncertainly. "But I'm not sure I could bear to  
watch our love dwindle and fade away." She could feel him  
trembling slightly against her, his soft curls gently caressing the  
skin just under her ears, to wind up within the sea of dark green.  
  
"It *won't*. I will walk with you, Kova-chan." She swallowed a lump  
forming in her throat, her fingers gently tracing the outlines of his  
face. "Whatever the roads, whether in darkness or in light, we shall  
walk them together."  
  
"Yeah, we shall." He replied, a hesitant glimmer of joy returning to  
his face, as he echoed her earlier. "*Always*."   
  
And they seemed stayed that way for what seemed an eternity, the  
cool breeze lulling their cares away as they huddled close together  
beneath the glow of the orange lamplight.  
  
=====================================   
  
The watery curtain finally lifted, no longer streaming down her face.  
  
I *NEVER* should have trusted that witch! She agreed! She  
promised…  
  
Aeka, sitting by her futon, unconsciously ground her teeth together  
as in her mind's eye she saw again, from over Tenchi's shoulder,  
Ryoko's hands tremble, then the fingers loosen to send *her* gift,  
*her* representation, *her* image onto ruin upon the ground…  
  
And now Tenchi will *never* believe I can read his heart as well as  
that demon woman…  
  
For a moment, the princess thought she heard a voice, calling from  
the back of her mind.  
  
Tenchi's not like that! He *knows*, it's been over a year already…  
  
It hurt though, somehow. It wasn't just that Tenchi had obviously  
liked…no, *loved* Ryoko's present… it was also the way he had  
disregarded her presence…  
  
But he was *so* delighted!  
  
That he forgot me for Ryoko, Aeka's mind answered itself bitterly.  
Me a princess, not even worth a space pirate's present…  
  
He tried to make it up to you! The gentle voice reminded  
persistently.  
  
Out of sympathy, and because he didn't want to lose me as a friend,  
because I didn't count for anything save for the fact that he felt I had  
to be *pitied*.  
  
Her injured pride forced aside the intent and goodwill of the boy's  
gesture, drawing more blood.  
  
The princess blinked, trying to force her new tears to back down.  
  
Yet deep within her, there was another source of pain Aeka's mind  
could not, or did not acknowledge it…  
  
Aeka started as she felt a warm touch over her hands, and  
comforting fingers closed over her own.   
  
Wha…!? Tenchi!!!  
  
"Aeka, what's wrong?" A soft, high pitched voice asked.  
  
The older princess blinked.  
  
Of course it's Sasami! It certainly couldn't be Tenchi… he wouldn't  
creep into my bedroom at night (reminder : this is not OVA ^_^ ).  
  
"Sasami?" She tried to stop her voice from trembling. "What are you  
doing awake?"  
  
For a reply the little princess shifted herself, so that she stared Aeka  
in the eyes. "Aeka?"  
  
There was a silence, then Sasami stood up, still a touch sleepy, and  
walked over to Aeka's side, her eyes peering at her sisters' face.  
"You've been crying…"   
  
In the corner, Anako roused stretched, mewing softly. It could make  
out Aeka's form, head nodding slightly. Cautiously it approached,  
drawing near.  
  
"Was it about what you and Ryoko…"  
  
"*Don't* you mention that *WITCH*!" Aeka shrieked. Sasami shrank  
back, realising she had struck a raw nerve, before Aeka subsided  
back into sobs.  
  
"Aeka…"  
  
"Go back to bed, Sasami," Aeka murmured, voice cold and hard.  
  
Sasami looked at her sister, her blue eyes sad. "I want to help…"  
  
"I *said*," Aeka growled. "Go back to…"  
  
Her voice faded into surprised silence as something furry, soft and  
warm rubbed itself against her. The thing leaped lightly from her  
hand and leg into her lap, mewing softly…  
  
"Anako…" Aeka exclaimed, surprised, her anguish momentarily  
forgotten.  
  
Sasami smiled at the sight of the ball of snow white fur nestled  
amidst the shadowed, velvet purple and pink form that was her  
sister. Sitting down, she regarded her sister with concern. "What  
happened, Aeka?"  
  
The older princess licked her lips. "Sasami, it really is none of  
your…" Aeka's words ended abruptly in soft laughter, for Anako  
had bounded onto her left shoulder and was rubbing itself against  
her neck. "Ooh, that tickles…" Her hand reached down and ran over  
the soft white fur. The kitten mewed appreciatively, brushed by her  
skin once more, sending another tingle down her spine, before,  
settling into the cozy left crook of her neck. The kitten swiped at one  
long purple tress, causing it to swing up before its inquisitive eyes,  
before falling down again and swinging, and Sasami laughed as she  
noticed the feline's eyes follow its movement like clockwork. Aeka,  
despite herself, could not help smiling, both at the ticklish feel and  
at her sister's mirth.  
  
"Feel better now?"  
  
Aeka sighed a little and nodded.  
  
"What happened?" Sasami asked again. Anako mewed once, as if  
to reinforce Sasami's question.  
  
"Ryoko…" Her voice became as burning ice, hot and cold as hatred  
and anger seeped into her words. "… destroyed my present to lord  
Tenchi." Her eyes blazed cold fire "It was dear to me. And it would  
have been dear to him…" Her fist clenched. "But for *her*."  
  
Just as the recollection threatened to close Aeka off again, Anako  
snuggled deeper into her crook of her neck, and Aeka's body  
tingled slightly, before she failed to repress a smile as the kitten  
licked her cheek.  
  
Sasami, on the other hand, was worried. After one and a half years  
living in the Masaki household, she knew Ryoko almost as well as  
Aeka, and Ryoko would *never* destroy anything that might give joy  
to Tenchi, not even if it came from Aeka. Speaking of gifts…  
  
The shopping trip, the way the two older girls discussed things  
privately…  
  
The locked rooms, as they prepared something…  
  
But there was something else - Anako's presence made Sasami feel  
Ryo-oh-ki's absence keenly. The last time she had seen her was  
before she, Ryoko and Aeka had left to go shopping.  
  
Sasami nodded, as the clues fitted neatly into place. "What  
happened to Ryoko's present?"  
  
Aeka's lower lip trembled. "Tenchi… he loved it."  
  
"I thought… the two of you would give him the presents together?"  
  
"Tenchi opened hers first…" She sighed. "Then she destroyed  
mine…" Her expression curled up into menacing anger.  
  
"Ryoko destroyed your present *in front of* Tenchi!?" Sasami  
asked in astonishment. "She would never…"  
  
Aeka interrupted her coldly at this point. "She *did*." She stared  
angrily into space. "She was holding it, and she dropped it." She  
closed her eyes as within her mind, she heard the smashing tinkle  
of crystal. Hearing the pain in its mistress' voice, Anako, with an  
almost wistful mew, snuggled gently against her again. "Thanks,  
Anako." Aeka bowed her head in acknowledgement of the kitten's  
effort to keep her mood up, and her hand reached up to stroke its  
fur.  
  
Sasami wrinkled her brow in thought. "What could have happened  
to cause Ryoko to…?"  
  
Aeka blinked, recalling the way Tenchi held her, the way his lips  
gently brushed her cheeks. Even in the darkness, Sasami saw her  
lower her face a little, and the slight tinge of rose that had sprung  
up, as her sister remained quiet.  
  
And suddenly, inspiration struck…  
  
Ordinarily, Sasami would have started laughing and teasing her  
sister, but this time, to Aeka's immense surprise, she just gave a soft  
sigh and bowed her head, only unlike her sister, hers was in  
sadness and despondency. "Hold this for me, Aeka," Sasami  
murmured, her voice sounding broken, as she distractedly took  
something from within her dress and placed it into Aeka's hands. It  
was a butterfly clip, wings bright with shining green, blue and  
yellow colours, which Sasami had just bought that day.  
  
"Sasami?" Aeka asked, surprise dulling her sense as she dumbly  
took the clip. Anako purred softly under her hands' ministrations.  
  
"No… nothing." Sasami hoped Aeka would be receptive, but her  
glum and melancholy tone had already attracted Aeka's attention. "I  
was just trying to imagine…" She let her voice drag out subtly,  
attuning Aeka's mind and imagination. "…how Ryoko felt when  
Tenchi and you…"  
  
The purple tressed princess' jaw dropped open, and her body  
wavered like a person struck by heavy mallet. Yes, she could  
imagine, she could feel it, she *had* felt it. So many times before…  
on board the Comet, as well as just now when Tenchi admired  
Ryoko's gift… The emotion coursed through her veins, flowing with  
heart stopping numbness and chill, as it always did…  
  
Ryoko's words echoed in her mind.  
  
Princess, I … I *didn't* mean it…It hurt…  
  
Suddenly she was looking through new eyes. Ryoko's might have  
been amber, while hers were purple, but Aeka managed it. She  
could see Tenchi, about to put on the locket, then letting it slide  
dismally onto the ground, before going to comfort her own self…  
  
Aeka blinked as she realised something had fallen into her lap.  
Sasami looked at it too.   
  
The butterfly clip had slipped out of her nerveless fingers, and was  
nestled in Aeka's lap.  
  
Stunned, the older princess looked up at Sasami. Solemnly, the little  
princess reached over, her piercing eyes never leaving Aeka's, and  
Anako mewed in seeming approval as her fingers went around the  
clip and placed it into her pocket. Already she could see Aeka's  
eyes lighting up in revelation, and she just managed to repress her  
joy at having brought her sister around.  
  
"Aeka?" Sasami whispered.  
  
Her sister sat dumbly there, still like a stone statue. Only her face  
was different, her white, marble-like surface looked like it was a  
stone surface crumbling, to reveal another person. One who could  
empathise…  
  
"Aeka… try to find her." Sasami murmured. "I think you two should  
be friends."  
  
The older princess stirred. For moment it seemed like she was  
about to retort sharply, then she exhaled, before mouthing softly.  
"Hai." Another pause. "We have a lot to sort out." She steeled her  
will, and drew herself up in determination. "But we will work  
something out."  
  
"It's for Tenchi too, sis." Sasami whispered. "I think when the two of  
you fight, it is he who suffers the most."  
  
"Hai," Aeka finally turned to look at her sister, respect and awe  
shining within the purple orbs. "Thank you, Sasami." She licked her  
lips uncertainly, but it was undeniable. "You are very wise."  
  
"No." Sasami smiled feebly, her fragile radiance shining out like a  
halo around her. "I love all of you. Tenchi, and even Ryoko. But you  
the most, Aeka." She hugged Aeka tightly, and Anako mewed with  
glee as it swiped at the incoming blue locks. "I hope you and Ryoko  
can be friends. How happy Tenchi would be."  
  
"Maybe." Aeka murmured. "But I need some time."  
  
Sasami sighed and sat back. She had hoped it would come sooner,  
but it seemed not yet.  
  
Aeka turned to stare at the window, and the Prussian blue dark sky  
lighted by innumerable scintillating stars. Sasami followed her gaze.  
  
"I think I'll have to take a while to sort out my thoughts, Sasami. I like  
the stars and they like me." Aeka smiled at the thought. "I used to be  
one of them, shining from afar. They say a falling star is fallen, but I  
think it has only learnt how to shine in many other ways."  
  
"Don't take too long, Aeka."  
  
"I won't, Sasami." Aeka smiled. "I promise you, I will be done, soon."  
She thought back to Jurai. "I still remember, they used to tell me  
taking a walk is good for the soul."  
  
"Yeah, I guess so."  
  
"Good night, Sasami." Aeka opened the door, turned around and  
bowed. "Thank you."  
  
Sasami watched as Anako followed Aeka out, before lying back on  
her futon, a broad smile on her face. For a moment it seemed her  
exuberance would keep her from slipping asleep even at this late  
hour, but eventually restfulness crept over her and bathed her  
youthful wisdom in blissful dreams.  
  
=====================================   
  
"What do I look like to you, huh?" Washu hadn't even bother to look  
up from her terminal. "Some kinda of repairman? Or maybe like the  
Santa out there, huh?"  
  
"Washu, please…" Koneko, who had greeted Tenchi at the door,  
sprang from the floor into Washu's lap, and stared at her with  
pleading feline eyes.  
  
The scientist did not reply for a while, staring at her screen and  
trying to ignore the meaningful look Koneko was giving her.  
  
This is so irritating… No respect for a resident genius at all. First the  
battle in the lab, then the bridge of the Yagami, and now, when I'm  
staying up forgoing sleep to catch up on my work, of all things, a  
request to repair trivial little tokens. No one ever thinks of giving me  
time for my inventions and…  
  
Another part of Washu intervened at this point.  
  
No, of course they wouldn't. I'm not Professor Washu the greatest  
genius scientist in the whole universe to them. I'm just Washu, just  
their friend.  
  
And I guess that's why like the rest of them, I come back…  
  
Finally, without turning around to face him. "Oh all right…" Her  
fingers flicked over keyboard, and a table materialised on her right,  
diagonally in front of Tenchi.  
  
"Thank you Washu…" He licked his lips, before carefully depositing  
the pieces he had gathered up. "How long will you take?"  
  
"Practically no time at all." Washu sighed, turning a little reluctantly  
from her specifications, swivelling the turning chair to face the table.  
It was a design for a tracer device, notably for anything remotely  
resembling her Tachyon Blaster in design… "It'll be a piece of a  
cake." True, but it broke her concentration, and sometimes she also  
felt it was demeaning to stoop to performing such an elementary  
task.  
  
"Then I think I'd like to stay and watch you work."  
  
She regarded the odd fragments queerly. Pink crystal shards,  
obviously of a pair of doves, purple and blue wristbands. Violet  
casing with a broken musical contrivance within. Crystalline, fragile  
beauty, detached, cold yet heartwarming, the thing practically  
exuded a name, a personality…   
  
"Tenchi."  
  
The boy started, at the queer, almost accusing tone in Washu's  
voice. "What, Washu?"  
  
"This is not yours."  
  
Sighing, he nodded, looking a little downcast. "It's Aeka's. She  
wanted to give it to me."  
  
Her fingers carefully sifted through the materials, her mind's eye  
rapidly reconstructing the gift as it looked like. "Who broke it?"  
  
"Ryoko."  
  
"I suppose Aeka must have been furious and upset." The doves  
would have been beautiful, even to Washu's cold and critical eye.  
The wristbands, coiled twice over, would have fitted right over the  
statuettes' necks like a collar, and the from the bits of mechanism  
she could make out, when they were placed side by side on the  
casement, their combined weight would close a circuit and cause  
them to turn slowly around, as well as release the gentle, tinkling  
music within… "This was no ordinary gift. Aeka put too much heart  
into it."  
  
"She was…" Tenchi's voice trembled. "So was Ryoko…"  
  
Washu, still not looking at Tenchi's, frowned, then her mind recalled  
what she had heard Tenchi tell Kova that afternoon, as she had  
come in, unnoticed, from placing the transmitter for the incomplete  
Yagami out in the field. Something about Ryoko and Aeka going  
shopping…  
  
There must be a way…  
  
"What did Ryoko give you?" She poked at the pieces again.   
  
"Huh?" Tenchi started, surprised. "How did you…?"  
  
"Bring it to me, Tenchi." Washu stared at the remnants of Aeka's  
presents.  
  
"Washu?" Bewildered, the boy stared. "What would you want…?"  
  
"I need it." The professor replied. For a moment longer Tenchi stood  
in surprise, but then Koneko mewed at him, a tiny paw seeming to  
bat him away, and one of its eyes closed in what looked like a wink  
to him. "Without it, I'm not doing this job for you, Tenchi." Startled  
by her uncompromisingly commanding tone, the boy pause for a  
moment. "And if you bring it here, you must let me do anything with  
it I like."  
  
"What do you intend?"  
  
Washu smiled slyly to herself. "That's for me to know, and the three  
of you to find out." Her finger pressed a button on the terminal on  
her left, and depressions appeared in the table, separating the  
pieces on it into the crystal, plastic, metal and other material or  
mechanical based components. "Do you trust me?"  
  
Tenchi hesitated, but only for a moment.  
  
Yes, perhaps that is at it should be. If I should break one, I deserve  
neither of them. I will not forsake either of them, so I must risk both  
of them…  
  
He blinked, suddenly realising what he was thinking.  
  
That has been what I have always done.  
  
His eyes narrowed.  
  
And I'll do it again. They both mean too much to me now.  
  
"I'll go get it." Nodding in acquiescence, the boy turned…  
"Mihoshi?"  
  
"*Don't* *touch*…!" Immediately Washu was bolt upright in her  
chair, her eyes opening wide, sweeping across the room. Koneko  
jumped a little, startled by its mistress' sudden movement, then  
settled back down again. "any…?"  
  
Mihoshi was just standing there. She wasn't poking or even looking  
around the lab. She was just standing still, and keeping to herself.  
  
"Mihoshi…?" Washu and Tenchi asked together.  
  
"What are you doing here?" Washu asked first. She had long since  
given up trying to figure out how the blonde kept on sneaking into  
the lab successfully.  
  
"I…" Mihoshi licked her lips, looking troubled. "… need to ask you  
something." Her eyes darted towards Tenchi. "I think Tenchi could  
help too…"  
  
Washu would normally have heaved a sigh of relief at Mihoshi's  
fingers not being itchy, but this was downright bizarre. Mihoshi?  
Asking for advice? When did that ever happen?  
  
The only advice she ever asked for was from Kiyone, and that she  
disregarded even her advice almost all the time, even if it was  
unknowingly so, made the situation all the stranger.  
  
"What's wrong, Mihoshi?" Tenchi asked, not withstanding Washu's  
uncertain look.  
  
"Some… some Galaxy Police officers have joined us. I…" She wet  
her lips, worried. "… think they want to get Kova."  
  
Washu arched an eyebrow. It wasn't that surprising, given what she  
had witnessed just a few hours ago, but she just didn't expect  
things to happen so fast. "What's the problem? Between Kiyone  
and Kova, they'll be able to handle it…"   
  
It was a risk, egging the blonde on, but asking her directly would  
only draw out a stream of incomprehensible attempts at explaining.  
Washu was used to obtaining raw data, and she objected to steep  
pricing, and hoped fervently Mihoshi's temporary distress would  
not be too painful.  
  
"I know…" Mihoshi answered glumly. "But *I* can't… it's not me and  
Kiyone anymore… it's just me…" Her voice ended off in a plaintive,  
pained whisper. "I am a Galaxy Police Officer," she intoned slowly,  
as though in a daze. "Danger is my business…" Her voice died,  
leaving the empty silence  
  
Tenchi swallowed, feeling another layer of sorrow settle over him.  
There was something forlorn, something helpless and pathetic  
about Mihoshi as she was before him. The bubbly blonde,  
silenced…  
  
"And so are they." Mihoshi rambled on, almost to herself. If she  
wasn't leaning on a piece of machinery (by some exquisite luck not  
touching any of its controls ^_^ ), she would have toppled over like  
a fallen tree. "But they want to hurt Kova. But does that mean they  
want to hurt Kiyone? Does that mean they want to hurt me?" Her  
lips compressed tightly together. "Are they friends?"  
  
Tenchi was about to say something comforting, but he saw Washu  
stare at him and shake her head. Koneko leaped off Washu's lap  
and padded soundlessly over to Mihoshi, and gazed up at the  
blonde, who seemed not to notice.  
  
"If I try to stop them… Will I still be a Galaxy Police Officer?" She  
thought back to the time when Kiyone and herself were declared  
outlaws by the GP, at the beginning of their Adventures in Space. At  
least back then she had Kiyone… "What would I be if I were not a  
GP Officer, not Kiyone's partner?" Her fingers plucked feebly at her  
tank top, as though it were her uniform and she would pluck it off to  
see what lay beneath. "And there's Seion…"  
  
Tenchi blinked. The two eavesdroppers cast quick glances at each  
other, and saw neither had any idea who she was talking about.   
  
"He seems to know Kiyone… want to know Kiyone… but also he  
makes me…"  
  
Washu nodded. So this Seion is a man, probably one of the officers  
sent here to apprehend Kova.  
  
"… think of Kiyone. He makes me feel like I am not that alone…"  
  
The professor's face wrinkled in astonishment. Mihoshi, in love? Or  
did this person really seem that much like Kiyone?  
  
"But he's hunting Kova and…" Here Mihoshi's eyes dimmed as a  
personal fear struck her, but left as rapidly. "I don't know, I don't  
know what to think, I don't know what to do!!!" Mihoshi cried out,  
distraught. "I… wish Kiyone were here." Her head bowed as she  
murmured brokenly.  
  
Washu, looking at Tenchi, nodded slightly. The boy, heaving a  
mental sigh of relief at not having to see his friend's anguish  
crescendo any further, hurried to Mihoshi's side.  
  
"Don't worry, Mihoshi." He tried to comfort her. "We're here…"  
  
Mihoshi looked up, into Tenchi's earnest brown eyes. "But…"  
  
"Kiyone's here too." Washu replied. "Kiyone hasn't forgotten you,  
and she never will." Her gaze became vacant, and fixed on  
something slightly to the side. "If she knew you were so upset,  
she'd never forgive herself."  
  
Mihoshi's look was blank, as Tenchi carefully wiped her tears away  
with his hankerchief.   
  
"It will all turn out fine, Mihoshi." Washu smiled. "After all, I think I  
can help you."  
  
"Oh, really!?" Mihoshi's smile brightened, and she stood up erect,  
her eyes shining, both from her new ray of hope and from the warm  
drops that spilled liberally out over lower eyelids and down her  
cheeks. "Oh, Washu, I knew you could help me and…"  
  
"Just give me a second… Tenchi, could you come over here,  
please?"  
  
"Uh, sure…" He handed Mihoshi the hankerchief and hurried over.  
Mihoshi smiled as Koneko purred contentedly, rubbing itself  
against her pant legs, also at the thought of resolving her problems.  
Washu pulled Tenchi over, pressing a small pill into his hand. "Take  
Mihoshi to the spare room she usually sleeps in, and put her to bed.  
The pill is to get her to sleep."  
  
"Washu!?" He asked, shocked and outraged at the thought of  
forcibly putting a friend to sleep.  
  
"She needs it, Tenchi." She glanced at Mihoshi. "At least I think so."  
  
Tenchi gulped as the mask over Washu's pink eyes cracked open,  
to reveal a person both uncertain, bewildered and above all worried.  
"You're as…" His voice was almost disbelieving.  
  
"Yes, I am." Washu interrupted, although her voice no less  
commanding than before. "Do it. Mihoshi needs a break. Dissolve  
the pill in a glass of water. And remember to get me Ryoko's gift."  
  
Tenchi blinked. Washu had remembered that despite Mihoshi!?  
  
"Okay, Mihoshi, just do what Tenchi says." Washu waved cheerily  
as she lightly pushed Tenchi in Mihoshi's direction. "It will all be  
settled by tomorrow!"  
  
"Tomorrow!?" Mihoshi sounded surprised. "But I thought you  
said…"  
  
Washu hid her astonishment well, though Tenchi was visibly  
nonplussed. Mihoshi usually achieved an instant state of nirvana  
once someone, *anyone*, told her that a problem would be solved,  
no matter what time frame or what stakes were involved. "Don't  
worry, just listen to Tenchi!" She grinned, then gave Tenchi a  
piercing, sharp glare that told him he had better step to it, quick.  
  
The boy shook himself out of his stupor and tried to comply.  
  
"Oh and *don't* touch *anything*!!" Washu cried out as the reluctant  
Mihoshi was ushered out by an uncertain Tenchi. Koneko mewed a  
farewell to the blonde, who was still not sufficiently herself to wave  
back. Heaving a sigh of relief, Washu sat down at her seat, lost in  
thought.  
  
Tenchi returned soon after, carrying the cherry blossom box and  
the locket. "She's asleep."  
  
Washu nodded and distractedly gestured to the table.  
  
"Gee, I hope I *never* have to see that again." He murmured to  
Washu with a shudder as he drew up beside her and set the things  
down, careful not to knock the pieces of Aeka's present off.  
  
"So do I." Washu breathed. "She wasn't wrecking my lab, but I think  
I'd rather see her do that than this." While it was true Mihoshi cried  
before, and quite often at that, but the way the pain and agony  
seemed to be lasting, along with the feeling of loneliness, had never  
been present. It was quite something else from ordinary to see  
Mihoshi, not as a victim or a ditz, but as a vulnerable person with  
her own fears and sorrows, as Mihoshi, alone in the pale light, no  
longer in the shadows of her partner and her occupation, forlorn,  
fearful and lost.   
  
"If only Kiyone were here." Tenchi murmured.  
  
Washu nodded. "I think Kiyone would have handled her better than  
us." She thought of what had transpired just a few hours ago. "Not  
that she is any less worried than Mihoshi."  
  
"How could a couple of officers hunting Kova hit her so bad?" the  
boy wondered aloud.  
  
"The foundations of her life are crumbling." Washu answered. "First  
Kiyone drifts away. Then the GP show up. To her they have always  
been her allies, she has difficulty accepting them as foes, and she  
thinks she's against them all by herself… She could turn from them,  
disobey the orders to help capture Kova, and risk losing the other  
identifying trait of herself, as a Galaxy Police Officer."  
  
"Then about the person…?"  
  
"No idea." Washu shrugged. "Seion, I think she called him that…  
feels like Kiyone? Can't imagine that, I'm afraid. Could be that she's  
just lonely or has fallen for the guy, I think I'll have to see him to  
believe he can be like Kiyone."  
  
"What about Kiyone and Kova?"  
  
"I am absolutely certain neither of them stand any chance of being  
caught, unless one or two of these cops are as powerful as your  
grandpa or Kagato. It would take something pretty big to tackle  
Kiyone and Kashiro side by side. They probably can't handle the  
problem either, except for maybe in the short term, and my only fear  
is that they may not be able to hide the truth from the officers, which  
might lead to something pretty ugly."  
  
Tenchi's eyes widened. "Kiyone wouldn't…!"  
  
"True, and I suspect the same for Mihoshi. But Kashiro is a wild  
card, he seems nice enough, but I don't really know what he might  
or might not do. I think if he believes he has to, he would… and that  
could destroy both Kiyone and Mihoshi. The other problem that if  
they found out, the GP, with pressure from the SSS, might declare  
Kiyone and Mihoshi outlaws." Her brows darkened, as further  
thoughts came in. "That could be very painful for both of them. After  
all, they've been Galaxy Police Officers all their lives…"  
  
Also Kashiro might just make off with Kiyone… not only will I lose  
my quarry, we'll be left with a distraught Mihoshi…  
  
No, he wouldn't… would he?  
  
"Washu, they won't be alone." Tenchi's jaw fixed determinedly.  
"We'll be with them."  
  
"Easy for you to say." Washu smirked. "Aeka and Sasami have a  
kingdom to go back to. This precious Earth of yours could be  
ripped asunder by ships. We might shelter them under the authority  
of Jurai, but that would be inviting war between Jurai and the SSS."  
  
Tenchi's jaw dropped. "I hadn't thought of that…"  
  
"Worse, the SSS might be building a ship with the Tachyon Ray  
even as we speak. A war with them could be utterly devastating in  
terms of loss of life, and casualties." She stroked Koneko's fur as  
she spoke. "Although of course, once they have that weapon they'd  
probably declare war anyway." She tried another way. "Getting  
Ryoko to kill the officers …"  
  
Tenchi, who had been gaping as Washu listed out the problems and  
options, stopped "Washu." He shook his head. "No. It's not right to  
hurt them, they're only doing their jobs… besides, Mihoshi might  
really be upset about that Seion guy…"  
  
"Nice to know you're paying attention and not just a goldfish."  
Washu commented drily. She glanced at her terminal, then at the  
laden table. "It's getting late, you'd better sleep, Tenchi."  
  
"Wha…!?" Tenchi murmured.  
  
"I said go to sleep." She stared meaningfully at the two presents on  
the table. "I'd like to work on this alone, and think about the problem  
by myself."  
  
"But…"  
  
"I need some time alone, Tenchi. You'll get it once I'm done. Now  
good night."  
  
Tenchi stood there as Washu bustled about before her terminal,  
pointedly not bothering with the presents at all. Gritting his teeth in  
dissatisfied impatience and uncertainty, he left, and just before the  
door slammed shut, he saw Washu turn to the table.  
  
Ah well, I can only hope for the best.   
  
Still upset over Mihoshi as well as Ryoko and Aeka, he wearily  
ascended to his own room.  
  
Back in the lab, Washu smiled as she worked.  
  
At least this would solve one problem. As for the other, she would  
have to get to the root of the root of the problem - Kashiro.  
  
=====================================   
  
Something stirred inside her, and her world began to revert from the  
snug, sheltered sanctuary it had been, for the moment, to its original  
state. The halcyon haven slipped back, and she could perceive  
beyond the touch of his body close to hers, beyond the comforting  
warmth that exuded from his still and serene state. For the time  
being, he seemingly not conscious of anything else but her  
proximity, restful and in repose save for the gentle up and down  
motion of his breathing. Shifting slightly, she slowly raised herself  
from leaning on him and stared at him, emerald eyes shining oddly  
as she took stock of the situation.  
  
As she moved and sat back slightly, Kova stirred. For a moment,  
just as his eyes opened, she saw they were dreamy and shining, as  
though he was in a resplendent utopia of his own, before sliding  
back into its usual state, piercing and practical, alert and attentive,  
yet also warm and human.  
  
God, for that instant he looked so… radiant and blissful, almost like  
an angel…  
  
"Kiyone?" He blinked uncertainly as he saw the curious manner  
she looked at him.  
  
Clearing her thought away, the detective placed a finger before his  
lips, the radiance from the brief glimpse of his joy still not  
completely faded from her face, then lowered her hands down to  
the front of his shirt. As she undid the buttons before her fingers,  
her smile broadened at the perplexed look on Kova's face, ere she  
shook her head.  
  
Men…!  
  
Just to get the point across, she gave him a light, quick kiss on his  
lips.  
  
His eyes widened in puzzlement again. "Kiyone?" The orange light  
coming from one side shone down on his hair and face, and  
accentuated his expression, just as they did hers.  
  
"Come on, relax," she inclined her head slightly away from his face  
to look as she opened one side of his shirt. "Just give it to me."  
Pouting, she carefully pulled the cloth away, to reveal his somewhat  
well defined upper torso.  
  
Kova opened his mouth to say something, then thought better of it,  
before finally deigning to take the paths of most males in such  
cases, which is just to give in.  
  
=====================================   
  
Several minutes' walk away, Seion and Mitsuki stood under the soft  
glow of a streetlamp, staring at the deluge of buildings, byways,  
alleys and streets all around them.  
  
"Let's split out and search." Seion murmured softly. "And  
remember, if you see Kiyone or our quarry, do not confront them  
either any circumstances, save one."  
  
"And what might that be?" Mitsuki replied, her sardonic tone  
feigning ignorance.  
  
The operative repressed his irritation, and continued. "If Chief  
Inspector Kiyone is in any kind of danger, you *must* go to her aid."  
  
"In other words, my life and my being your team member means  
everything to you except when measured against hers." Mitsuki  
gave an icy chuckle. "How flattering…"  
  
"Please." Seion licked his lips, and Mitsuki started, her eyes  
widening as she saw his expression. For that short moment he was  
no longer the hunter, no longer Operative 231 of the Galaxy Police  
Special Forces. He was just a man again, just Seion, even if she  
didn't know her name, and his tone was earnest and pleading.  
"Please, Mitsuki."  
  
Her voice, his voice… only the pitch was obviously different, while  
the similarities in volume, tone, timbre, presentation, inflection and  
articulation were uncanny…  
  
Mitsuki closed her eyes for a moment, trying to repress her human  
side, which she thought she had lost along the ascent of the career  
ladder from what seemed like long ages ago, and didn't miss except  
on the darkest of nights. Yet now, she could still recall Kiyone, part  
of their class, the ace, detached and aloof, but nevertheless still a  
classmate, still a friend.  
  
She swallowed. "Yes, 231, sir."  
  
Seion smiled slightly, in some subtle way expressing gratitude, but  
the smile was nevertheless still tight and wary. "Thank you,  
Mitsuki." His green eyes darted around. "I'll take this side."  
  
The two figures separated, leaving the light to vanish into the  
darkness of the shadowed byways.   
  
=====================================   
  
It had been a good while since she left Tenchi's side, but it had not  
abated yet. The cool night air had not soothed her fiery emotions by  
enough, and fury and rage still bubbled and seethed in her mind.  
Darkness fled before another blaze of orange light, then the tree slid  
down onto her, its trunk looming large before her eyes. For a  
moment she almost decided the pain of getting struck by it would  
salve her mental sense of betrayal, then she vanished as it landed  
where she had been.  
  
Ryoko stared back across the line of about five fallen trees that had  
trailed in her wake up the slope to the shrine, amber eyes gleaming  
dark and menacing among the dead of the night.  
  
If only I could just break her like that… that double dealing, no good  
bitch…  
  
But it was Tenchi, wasn't it? Her mind thought sadly. He *made* you  
give it up to *her*, let *her* take all the credit…  
  
And then when he was captivated by *my* gift he spurned it for  
her…   
  
She could see the locket slide slowly to the ground, unnoticed, as  
Tenchi *almost* stepped on it, his heart and soul full of only one  
person at the time - Aeka. The image of him pulling the violet tressed  
princess close and lightly kissing her flashed in her mind, cutting  
through the pirate's being like a lightning bolt…  
  
Ryoko, floating about half a metre above the recently fallen trunk,  
felt a quiver, then a tremor, before another wave of emotion coursed  
through her. Her body wracked with spasms as it collapsed onto  
the fallen tree, and her hands dug deep into wood, drawing blood  
from behind her nails. With a heart rending cry, Ryoko ripped two  
huge chunks out of the tree, before the two chunks were reduced to  
ashes in spurts of orange fire.  
  
Tenchi… you betrayed me…! Her soul cried plaintively. How *could*  
you forget *me*…!?  
  
Memories flashing through her head… Tenchi holding her by the  
temple steps… Tenchi kneeling over her as she awoke… running  
from the fleeing Aeka to her side… calling out to her moments  
before she vanished… and his words, ghostly as if from the distant  
past…  
  
Someday, I promise you, you will know exactly how much I do.  
  
Yet… AAARGH!  
  
Her fingers delved deep into the hardwood again, the faint stabs of  
pain from the impact going unnoticed by the distraught lady as  
wood ripped and parted before her strength. For a moment it  
seemed that all was still as Ryoko breathed in choking gasps, her  
face and form bowed, then orange light blazed through the fabric of  
the tree, piercing the darkness a split second before the whole thing  
transformed into a horizontal pillar of incandescent inferno, shining  
out for a moment and the clearing was lighted up as bright as day…  
  
Consumed in the searing blast, but not entirely so, a trace of  
thought… a gnawing guilt, both unknown and denied… of a  
promise broken…  
  
The shadows returned. The charred skeleton of the tree was intact  
briefly before falling to earth, and, head still bowed, she landed on  
her knees amidst the ashes. There was a brief sizzle as some drops  
of water landed on the hot ashes and hissed into nothingness.  
  
Ah… I cry.  
  
It wasn't something she did often, and when she did she often  
wasn't conscious of it. Gradually she realised there were sticky lines  
where the water ran over her face…  
  
Why do I? Tenchi wouldn't abandon me… would he?  
  
It's all that *accursed* princess' fault! If it weren't for her snivelling,  
Tenchi wouldn't have…  
  
Ryoko's mind recoiled from the memory, and she forcibly tore her  
mind elsewhere.  
  
*Why* is that wretched witch so pitifully weak!?  
  
A stern, cold voice broke in through her livid state of mind.  
  
Because she loves Tenchi too, as truly as you do…   
  
That's a *lie*!   
  
Ryoko snarled back, but her mind treacherously drew back to the  
moments - on board Ryo-oh-ki alone in her grief for Tenchi, except  
for *her* ; swept away from imminent scarlet death by *her* ; and  
actually going shopping with *her*.  
  
She is yourself…  
  
There was a yawn from somewhere nearby, followed by a throaty,  
feminine chuckle.   
  
Amber eyes springing open, the space pirate leaped back and away,  
her grief dissipating as her awareness converged onto the intruder.   
  
"I was beginning to wonder how much longer I would have to wait  
out your stupor." The figure proclaimed wryly, before stepping out  
from the shelter of trees, a sly smile curling around its face, that was  
invisible within the darkness of the black cloak. Only fair skin and  
icy blue eyes could be seen from within the depths of the hood.  
  
Ryoko's eyes widened. "Nagi!"  
  
"Hmm, I'm surprised you still remember me," she replied, her smile  
vanishing. "At least you look like you still fear me. I was beginning  
to wonder if helping you with that Jurai stint was going to affect  
our… relationship." Her voice became faintly amused. "I'm glad it  
hasn't."  
  
"I have *NOTHING* to do with *you*!!" Ryoko was about to fly up  
and teleport away when…  
  
"Oh, I forgot to mention… Ken-oh-ki has his lasers trained on…"  
Nagi grinned slightly, her eyes sidling to the side, in the direction of  
the house. "Your residence, I believe?"  
  
"You wouldn't *DARE*!" Ryoko spat. "He wouldn't either!  
Ryo-oh-ki…"  
  
"…is with me." The bounty hunter replied coolly. "Ken-oh-ki doesn't  
know, of course. He only knows that she and you are not in the  
house, and beyond that I don't think he really cares. He has a lot in  
common with you…" her hand flashed out, holding the edge of a  
small metal handle. "That house is one of the reasons why he and  
Ryo-oh-ki can't explore space together…"  
  
Ryoko blinked once, as she realised she had no way out.  
  
A blur, followed by a flash of red sparks as the purple light pulsed  
out of Nagi's weapon, lashing the orange blade away. The bounty  
hunter grinned as she slid away from the curling stream of plasma  
beams, whip lashing out at her foe, while Ryoko leaped back as she  
parried, but the bounty hunter pressed home, her cloak billowing  
out behind her like the shadow of doom.  
  
"Ryoko, at last…" She murmured, as the pirate fell back, giving  
ground before her lethal blows that snaked through the darkness in  
deadly curls of violet energy. "My, you're soft." Nagi chuckled, as  
Ryoko just barely managed to avoid the extended curl of her whip  
as she drew back from a parry. "The hunter and the hunted." The  
recoiling lash nearly struck Ryoko's feet but for her upward flight,  
ere the tip slid across just caught across the bottom of her chest,  
drawing a weal of crimson over her exposed, unprotected flesh  
under her shirt.  
  
Stinging pain pierced Ryoko's body as the lash caught her over her  
old injury, and she faltered, falling back. The blue haired bounty  
hunter, her hood thrown back by the speed of her advance, took a  
fraction of a second to savour her triumph drawing first blood so  
easily, before continuing the assault.  
  
Ryoko, gritting her teeth, let her warrior senses take over. The  
orange blade slashed about the night, banishing the shadows and  
the intrusions of the purple lash, and desperately she tried to buy  
time for recovery, teleporting to and fro. Nagi cursed as Ryoko's  
form and shape flickered in and out from between darkened  
shadows of the leafy canopy, then moved silently and swiftly on its  
trail, her cloak and speed making her look like a shade winging  
through the forest in search of prey.  
  
A glimpse of Ryoko behind a tree, then violet energies streamed  
through the darkness, slicing through wood. Ryoko just managed  
to avoid the blazing arc of light, then leaped aside as the trunk  
crashed down behind her. The bounty hunter's feet tapped lightly  
off its surface as she pounced in pursuit of her prey, her whip  
lashing out to send the two orange plasma beams hurtling towards  
her ricocheting harmlessly away. Ryoko's sword thrust as her foe  
landed before her, but Nagi's body twisted agilely under the blade  
as the violet whip went for her waist. Ryoko somersaulted and her  
blade swept down at Nagi's back, biting her lip at the pain her  
exertion brought back. The whip lashed upwards, its bent coil  
turning aside the sweeping blade, while its wielder rolled to her feet  
even as Ryoko faced her, feet about a metre off the ground.  
  
"Hmm," Nagi brushed the leaves off her cloak. "You are more of a  
challenge than I thought at first. How could I have forgotten the  
ages I have spent tracking you?"  
  
Ryoko couldn't repress the sliver of fear as her nemesis licked her  
lips, almost hungrily.  
  
"I shall take pleasure in ending this…"  
  
"I haven't even started yet!" Ryoko retorted, her brave front hiding  
her weakness. The injury had been many times better than when  
she awoke this morning, but reopened now it still hurt. Not that  
badly, but enough that she was seriously worried about battling  
Nagi.  
  
"Nor have I…" Nagi grinned. "You're the appetiser."  
  
A confident smirk on her face, Nagi sprang up, a whirlwind of black  
and blue against the shadows, her weapon crackling and flashing  
within and without like violet surges of lightning. Ryoko fought  
valiantly, her orange blade striking and parrying the seemingly  
innumerable lashes that assailed her. Swift and sure, Nagi  
sidestepped the streams of plasma beams, yet staying within  
striking range.  
  
The space pirate teleported behind Nagi, blade at the ready, but her  
reactions were slowed a little, while Nagi's whip slashed out before  
the hunter actually turned around, and she was forced to parry it.   
  
Nagi grinned to herself.  
  
You're too close, my dear Ryoko, too close…  
  
Seizing her advantage, Nagi followed up with another combo of  
rapid strikes, designed to wear her opponent down. Nagi's long  
whip undulated like a viper, sweeping about in sinuous curves, its  
form threatening Ryoko from front, midsection assaulting her sides  
and the tip menacing her back like a python which has caught its  
prey in a coil.  
  
Oh no, Ryoko surmised, as she realised her grievous error. I  
underestimated her abilities, and overestimated mine… damned that  
injury!  
  
I spent too much time lazing around, trying to win Tenchi's heart…  
now I may never see him again…  
  
NO! I must fight on!  
  
Caught up in the flurry of violet and orange, red sparks flashing  
about her in continuous, never ending waves, Ryoko gave way  
before Nagi, too hard pressed to even try to shoot or teleport. Nagi  
forged on, mind expectant and cold as her onslaught bore hard on  
her prey, who was putting up a valiant attempt in fighting for her life.  
  
Heh, I'd like to see how long you can keep this up, Ryoko. Not long,  
I suspect.  
  
Not long at all…   
  
=== End of Chapter ===  
  
VERY IMPORTANT!!!  
I would like to extend my whole hearted thanks and gratitude to  
Patrick "Seion" Stewart, who gave me permission to use his character  
Seion in Darkness & Light .  
  
Seion, if you're reading this and you find I screwed him up, please  
do inform me, I'll do my utmost to put him right. Thank you ^_^.  
  
In future chapters this will be up in front under Disclaimer too.  
  
Seion's work can be found in Gensao's TMFFA, at www.tmffa.com.  
  
NOTES:  
Kova is in a way, an SIed character. Pls include him in your  
comments, whether I have portrayed him as a person, as a friend  
or foe, as one of the gang, and most importantly, as a human being.  
I have some pictures of him, not too good pencil drawings, if you  
wish to take a look pls mail me.  
  
This chapter is inordinately long, but actually was scheduled to  
be much longer ^^;;;. Hope you don't mind.  
  
I hope you have enjoyed this Fanfic as much as I have typing it.  
If there are any more grammar errors, I beg your forgiveness, as  
my sole proofreader is myself.  
  
This is my first FF, so go ahead and mail me at zyraen@yahoo.com  
with comments, especially on character portrayal, realism.  
  
Last word : PLEASE REVIEW! So I noe which hits are for real &   
which are merely misgotten clicks...  
  



	15. No Need for Masquerades

UPDATE NOTES : Fixed some language probs... that's about it ^^;;.  
  
DEDICATION (25/09/2000)  
  
For Davner  
  
I didn't think I'd lose anything when I went IRCing, but I did.  
... Gomen.  
  
Sincerely, Zyraen  
  
Disclaimer :  
Most characters in this story are property of AIC and Pioneer.  
They are in such a situation solely because of my imagination.  
This story was written purely for fun.  
  
I would also like to extend my whole hearted thanks and gratitude to  
Patrick "Seion" Stewart, who gave me permission to use his character  
Seion in Darkness & Light .  
  
Seion, if you're reading this and you find I screwed him up, please  
do inform me, I'll do my utmost to put him right. Thank you ^_^.  
  
Seion's work can be found in Gensao's TMFFA, at www.tmffa.com.  
  
DARKNESS & LIGHT - No Need For Kova  
  
By Zyraen  
  
Chapter XIV : No Need for Masquerades  
  
The door closed behind her, and the older princess of Jurai took a  
deep breath of the refreshing night air. She managed to smile a bit,  
as she stepped out, but her heart was still weighed down by various  
matters…  
  
Ryoko… could I have wronged you?  
  
Endless memories from what seemed like lifetimes ago surged into  
her mind. The garden of Jurai… the fair on Jurai…the vacation…  
She had heard it all, Ryoko and her arguing about their histories in  
front of Tenchi and everyone, and now that she had found the  
courage to be perfectly honest with herself, she wasn't even sure…  
  
A distant, harsh tearing sound, as of a tree falling, shattered the  
silence of the night, resounding discordantly and ripping apart the  
still introspective fabric within the princess' mind. Aeka spun  
around, eyes wide, and saw blazes and dashes of orange and violet  
flashing out from under the shadowed, verdant canopy that covered  
the hillside leading up to Katsuhito's temple.  
  
Ryoko! But who is…  
  
Aeka's eyes widened as the purple blaze registered.  
  
Nagi…!?  
  
As she drew near she could see the line of fallen trees in the wake of  
the combatants, though she could have sworn she had not actually  
told herself to run over to assist. Urgency lent her wings, and feet  
pumping rapidly, she swiftly covered the distance to the base of the  
hill across the still somewhat devastated field without stumbling  
across the occasional potholes.  
  
Face set in a mixture of determination and anxiety, the first princess  
of Jurai forged forward up the slope, racing to reach the battling  
duo. As the sounds became louder through the fleeting, changing  
shadows within the forested area, she felt her heartbeat quicken as  
thrill coursed through her being with an imminent sense of peril,  
and she could see Ryoko ahead, trapped within the tendrils of violet  
as a prey snared by a tentacled horror, battling valiantly but  
nevertheless steadily weakening and on the verge of getting struck  
down…  
  
Surges of cerulean energies gathered about her form, as her  
forcefield shimmered into existence and she streaked upwards, a  
fiery ice blue comet shattering the darkness of the canopy, parting a  
line through the foilage like a sword through flesh as the barriers in  
her way withered before the imperial might of Juraian power.  
  
Through the dashes and wreaths of incandescent sparks, Ryoko,  
her entire form pouring into holding her own, subconsciously noted  
as the confident, triumphant grin leering at her like the mask of  
death flickered for an instant on her foe's face, before subsiding into  
a puzzled frown, and from a corner of her eye she glimpsed a flicker  
of radiant cerulean coursing through the shadows.  
  
Nagi cursed as she felt the air nearby move, and acting quickly,  
leaped back, with her whip lashing out to either side of her as the  
miniature guardians were scattered from converging around the  
spot she had occupied.  
  
"Princess Aeka?" She murmured questioningly as the princess,  
wrapped in the blue nimbus of shining power, sped closer, like a  
ghostly apparition rushing in for the kill.   
  
Ryoko, breathing hard, contrived to seize the respite by swiftly  
unleashing two beams at Nagi, who, seemingly without looking at  
her, cavalierly flicked her whip out. A plasma beam shattered, not  
against Ryoko where it would have no effect due to her being its  
source, but smashed into a tree that crashed down right before the  
space pirate, forcing her to leap slightly back as it cut her off from  
Nagi. Aeka glimpsed the other incoming blast before it slammed into  
her field, and the impact as the orange energies dissipated into  
white motes brought her to a standstill.  
  
Nagi watched both her opponents warily, her face grim. "What are  
you doing here?" She demanded of the newcomer.  
  
Aeka brought herself to her full height. "I demand you cease this  
combat!"  
  
"I have…" Nagi replied drily. "I thought you and Ryoko were sharing  
a man, no?" Her lips curled into a frigid, cold and above all, taunting,  
smile.  
  
For a brief instant Ryoko could have sworn she saw Aeka's face  
contort into purple rage a heartbeat before Nagi quit the spot,  
cloaked figure darting away as the log guardians Azaka and  
Kamadake materialised on either side of her, the black cloth fraying  
at the ends as it was snared momentarily by the force field.  
  
"Now, now, princess." Nagi's soothing voice carried as she spun  
around in midair to face Ryoko, who had materialised above her,  
and swiftly employed her whip parrying the space pirate's assault.  
"That's no way to treat someone who is trying to remove your rival,  
is it?"   
  
Aeka cogitated, unsure of herself.   
  
Ryoko… my rival for so long, in so many ways… or Ryoko… a  
friend?   
  
Azaka's beam struck the ground before Nagi, then she had spun  
behind and around some trees.   
  
"Let me be done with my prey…" The sibilant voice came,  
seemingly disembodied.  
  
Kamadake's obliterated a tree he perceived was in his way before  
they realised Nagi was right beside them.   
  
"And you can have your Tenchi, all to yourself."   
  
The purple whip shot out and snared Kamadake's lower end, before  
she pulled and tugged, at the same time winding herself under the  
small slack length just in time to avoid the slash from Ryoko's blade  
which struck the surface of the whip she shielded herself behind.  
  
Aeka thought back to the times she and Ryoko had spent together.  
They weren't all pleasant, but they seemed to have spent a rather  
great deal of time together. When they had rescued Tenchi from  
Nagi on Venus, their adventures in Space, thinking how Tenchi had  
told her about Ryoko's heroism in helping to save her, comforting  
each other when Tenchi was hurt, their battles on board the Comet,  
and the most recent expedition to the city…  
  
"Ouch." Kamadake muttered as the whip cut through his base  
milliseconds before Nagi pulled him forcefully around onto his side,  
and Ryoko, who had tried to strike Nagi from behind, was forced to  
dematerialise as the huge log crashed into where she had been  
standing.  
  
"Call your guardians off and I can forget all about this, Your  
Highness."   
  
Aeka blinked.  
  
Sure you could forget it… but could I? No.  
  
And Tenchi? *Never*…  
  
The whip uncoiled with unbelievable speed as the guardians lost  
their potent power due to their separation and temporary  
incarceration of one of them, while Ryoko was forced to turn her  
darting blade rapidly upon itself to parry the lash from Nagi.  
  
"So what will it be?" Nagi asked casually. "Leave me my prize?"  
Sparks flew as she engaged Ryoko once again, who was too  
focused on the job at hand to reply.  
  
"*Never*!" Aeka shrieked, and Nagi just managed to glimpse a  
cerulean nimbus speeding towards her, before she was forced to  
hurl herself away from Ryoko or be consumed by the shimmering  
aura that could spell, if not doom, at least a respectable amount of  
pain to herself.  
  
"Princess, I am warning you!!" Nagi threatened, anger creeping into  
her voice as Aeka settled herself resolutely between her and Ryoko,  
a millisecond before the space pirate teleported to stand by her  
side. "Don't make me…"  
  
"We, of the Juraian Royal family, do not deal with the likes of you!"  
  
Ryoko, despite her weariness and her hurt, smiled at the way Nagi  
convulsed in anger at being addressed like a criminal herself…  
  
Heh, who would have thought I'd see the day princess Aeka call  
you, my dear Nagi, that…  
  
"Ken-oh-ki!" Nagi cried out, and the silver white battleship  
descended from the heavens, cannons aimed straight at the Masaki  
residence below them…  
  
"Ryo-oh-ki!" Ryoko called desperately, but the cabbit did not  
emerge.  
  
"Didn't I mention she is, well, preoccupied, Ryoko?" Nagi smiled as  
Aeka and Ryoko turned pale. "Now princess… back down, or  
else…"  
  
Aeka ground her teeth together. "Scumbag…" She turned from Nagi  
to Ryoko.  
  
The space pirate started as her counterpart's eyes gleamed cold  
with determination, and Ryoko blinked, as somehow they practically  
thought across to each other…  
  
Thank you, Aeka.  
  
Godspeed, Ryoko.  
  
The princess of Jurai stepped away from Ryoko, head bowed in  
defeat.  
  
Nagi grinned as her whip flickered back into existence. "Now, we…  
what the!?"  
  
Ryoko teleported away.  
  
"How dare she!?" Nagi screamed in frustration, leaping away as  
Azaka and Kamadake, having recovered, sped just by her, almost  
encapsulating her form. "Ken-oh-ki!"  
  
The cabbit ship pulsed with energy as it prepared to unleash an  
obliterating blast… and stoppped.  
  
"WHAT the…!?"   
  
Guardians were forming in the air around Ken-oh-ki, ceasing the  
energy surge. Incredulous, Nagi turned back to see Aeka, eyes  
closed in concentration, and sweat beading her brow as she  
summoned all her reserve power to hold back the warship.   
  
"You interfering no good princess!" Nagi pounced upon the  
preoccupied Aeka with a vengeance, aiming not to kill but to break  
her concentration, before she caught the sign of blue. Purple lash  
struck azure energies, and Nagi hurled herself away from the impact  
lest she strike the forcefield.  
  
No! She can't have any energy left to defend herself… except…  
  
Nagi realised Aeka was flanked by her two guardians, their  
combined might shielding all three of them in a nimbus of blue.  
  
Drat… I'll see how long *you* can hold out. She thought, eyes  
turning up in the sky.  
  
Already the guardians restraining Ken-oh-ki were beginning to  
tremble, and Aeka's teeth ground hard against each other as she  
tried her very best, but she was only one lady… Nagi folded her  
hands across her chest and stared at Aeka, bemused.  
  
Not long at all.  
  
====================================  
  
Washu spun around as the door to the lab opened, and the light  
over the table where she was working on the gifts snapped out  
instantly lest someone should spot it.  
  
"Ryoko?"  
  
"Washu, quick! Ken-oh-ki's going to blow up the house!!"   
  
"DAMN!" Washu stood up, and for an instant she was about to race  
out of her lab to set up a shielding device when she remembered  
something.  
  
The transmitter device for Yagami in the field…  
  
"WASHU!!" Ryoko cried out, shocked that her friend should care  
not about the fate of their residence, and most relevantly, the fate of  
Tenchi. "You…?" The scientist did not reply, her fingers flying  
rapidly over her keyboard, altering the dimensional status and  
construct of the device.  
  
In the field outside the house, the small transmitter device suddenly  
enlarged by almost five times, and produced what looked like a  
metal pole extending skyward…  
  
====================================  
  
Aeka felt the drain within her, sapping away at her pool of energy,  
still not fully recovered from the recent exertions on board the  
Comet.  
  
I can only pray it has been enough…  
  
A weary groan, and her concentration broke.  
  
Ryoko…   
  
The guardians in the air around Ken-oh-ki faded into thin air, and a  
single beam of scarlet silver emerged from the battleship to scream  
down at the house…  
  
Aeka breathed a sigh of joyful relief as the shot struck harmlessly  
against an invisible shield around the place, coruscating into pink  
light before dissipating into nothingness.  
  
Nagi's face wrinkled for a moment in puzzled surprise, then her  
eyes narrowed to slits. "So, she went to get Washu… My, the two of  
you are thick as thieves, aren't you?" She turned back to Aeka,  
resting upright and leaning against the inside of the forcefield  
generated by her guardians. "Sharing a man has made you  
degenerate into a scum…"  
  
Aeka was too weary to be angry. "Look Nagi, I don't know what you  
want with Ryoko." She breathed, softly. "The bounty on her was  
annulled…"  
  
"Perhaps. But certain contacts of mine still want her dead." Nagi  
leaned back casually against one of the luckier trees, awaiting  
Ryoko's reappearance, which she knew would be anytime soon.  
"Besides… it's almost a matter of principle." Her eyes became  
distant for a moment. "We go waaay back…"  
  
Aeka blinked, as she remembered herself…  
  
Would I have become like that?  
  
Nagi continued. "It has become almost an obsession to get her  
head, to prove I can finally snare and overcome the one person that  
has continually thwarted me all my life." She blew at her fingernails,  
smoothing away some of the dirt that had caught in them during the  
battle. "It is just like a game, a game that has to be played for the  
end…" Her eyes narrowed and hardened. "And a contest - to show  
myself I can pin her down in her prime." She clenched her fists, and  
she did not see Aeka's face sadden.  
  
Would I have come to hate Ryoko for the sake of hating her? To  
hate her simply because it was just like me to hate her? Just  
because I have hated her all along? And what would Tenchi have  
gotten from us? Nothing… but an eternity of sadness and turmoil…  
  
Aeka realised the gnawing thought in her mind.  
  
It wasn't just Ryoko stopping Tenchi from loving us openly… it was  
also me…  
  
"My, quiet like aren't you?" Nagi murmured, almost charmingly. No  
longer in a state of bloodlust, the bounty hunter looked serene and  
comfortable. "I'm still waiting…"  
  
"She won't be coming back, Nagi." Aeka growled. "She's not  
stupid."  
  
"I'm not either." Nagi's smiled, and suddenly the resemblance to  
Ryoko was simply stunning, so much that Aeka would have caught  
her breath but for the fact that she was breathing very quickly and  
shallowly, too much so to actually do it. "In case you forgot, I still  
have Ryo-oh-ki."  
  
Aeka bit her lip, and suddenly asked. "Nagi… what will it take to turn  
you off her trail?"  
  
The bounty hunter's brows knitted together, as she detected the  
earnestness in Aeka's voice.  
  
She's a princess! She's in a position to offer me almost anything I  
desire…  
  
For a moment a distant, hidden part of Nagi filled her mind with  
regrets, with shattered dreams that had once been real, only to be  
swept away like smoke upon the wild winds of storms…   
  
A normal life…  
  
No, it's over… the dead cannot be brought back, the scars cannot  
be removed.   
  
Nagi sneered derisively at herself, as she banished her buried soul  
back into the sepulchral tomb. "I live for the thrill of the hunt, for the  
reward that is the kill itself." She laughed hollowly. "The money is  
secondary… It only indicates what I am up against, a gauge to see  
how far I can reach, to see how high and mighty, tricky and devious,  
elusive and cunning prey I can tear from the skies of space with my  
talons." Her purple whip flashed out again, cracking against the air  
to emphasise her point. "I have come close to snaring Ryoko  
countless times, yet all those countless times she has evaded me."  
  
Aeka pressed forth again. "Then when she escaped it must have  
been no fault of yours. Like on Venus, and here… she got away  
because of me."  
  
"True." Nagi thought about it. "She is soft now, too… no longer that  
great of a challenge, but I have yet to prove myself."  
  
"No!" Aeka tried, raising her voice. "You don't have to anymore."  
  
"Hmm?" Nagi arched an eyebrow. "And why might that be?"  
  
Aeka put as much respect into her voice as she could summon.  
"You have, already."  
  
"Indeed?" She gave a ghastly grin of satisfaction, eyes not leaving  
her whip. "Perhaps, princess."  
  
"Then leave her alone! Don't bother us anymore!" Aeka felt her  
emotions intensify as she gradually recovered strength.  
  
Why not… Nagi asked herself. Ryoko would certainly have been  
dead by now, there is nothing else I can gain by pitting myself  
against her further… after all she was only the appetiser…  
  
"Very well then." The whip disappeared from Nagi's hand. "I will  
leave her in peace."  
  
Aeka heaved a sigh of relief.  
  
"But I need something from you, first."  
  
"Huh?" Aeka asked.  
  
"You ask me to give up a bounty." Nagi replied. "I have NEVER  
done that before. But this bounty is meaningless to me, now that I  
have decisively defeated her once again, and the amount the private  
associates are paying is measly compared to the one I have come in  
search for." She smiled slyly to herself. "Though I may have  
difficulty in finding him, and the prize is only up for a limited time…"  
  
Aeka's eyebrow arched questioningly. "So?"  
  
"I want a pledge. From you, that you and the rest of your friends,  
notably Washu, will help me."  
  
Aeka bit her lip. "I cannot promise for the others, but I can pledge  
mine."  
  
Nagi reached over her head to pull her hood up over her head, to  
leave only her lips in the open outside the shadow. "Swear it. That  
you will do your very best to help me in what I ask."  
  
"You promise to leave drop Ryoko's bounty and return Ryo-oh-ki?"  
  
She nodded slightly, obscuring all her facial features in the  
darkness of the hood.  
  
If Aeka could see in the dark, she would have seen Nagi's face light  
up in amusement, but she couldn't, and nor was she in the right  
frame of mind to consider what she might actually be swearing to.  
"I, first Princess Aeka of the Juraian Royal Family, hereby solemnly  
pledge myself to assisting the bounty hunter in the capture of a  
criminal she seeks, so long as she leaves Ryoko in peace." She was  
too tired to think about legally binding terms and words that she  
might have considered in dealing with a Jurian council member, and  
anyway those warriors of space set more store by honour and  
dealings than by the phrasing of words.  
  
"Aeka?" Ryoko materialised, shock written all over her face as she  
caught the last verse of Ryoko's words. "What the…!?" She turned  
to stare up at Nagi.  
  
"Thank you, princess." The bounty hunter smiled. "Although for  
now, I will not have need of your services."  
  
"Princess, what the *hell* is going on!?" Ryoko cried. "And what did  
you do with Ryo-oh-ki, Nagi?" She and Washu had tried a scan for  
Ryo-oh-ki, only to find the only signal came from Nagi herself…  
  
"She has agreed to leave you in peace." Aeka murmured, as she got  
to her feet, still flanked by Azaka and Kamadake and surrounded  
within their forcefield. She might be naïve at times, but she had to be  
sure Nagi would keep her word. "Now, swear it, Nagi."  
  
"You have my word, princess." Nagi replied coolly. "Without  
honour, the warrior is nothing but a barbarian." She reached behind  
her, and they heard the snap as she removed some straps from  
under her cloak, behind her back. "Here you go, Ryoko." Nagi held  
out an unconscious bundle of dark brown fur.  
  
"Ryo-oh-ki!" Ryoko's eyes opened in surprise. "HEY!!! What if I had  
stabbed you from behind!?" She snarled at Nagi.  
  
Nagi gave a light, almost lilting laugh, and her blue eyes glinted a  
little in the shadowed hood as she rolled them. "You flatter youself,  
my dear Ryoko." As if to make a point she extended the furry bundle  
closer.  
  
Ryoko stared uncertainly at Nagi's outstretched hand. "What did  
you do to her?"  
  
Nagi arched an eyebrow at Ryoko. "Need you ask?"  
  
Ryoko glared at the one whom she knew, had just about killed  
about her earlier, and nearly took her beloved Tenchi down a mere  
minute ago. "All right, I know it's carrots." Gingerly she took the  
cuddly little cabbit, snoozing most comfortably, into her left hand.  
"No lasting harm?"  
  
"None. Ken-oh-ki would never forgive me if I actually hurt her." Nagi  
replied, her voice subsiding carefully into a soft monotone. "Give  
her maybe one or two hours to wake up."  
  
"Kay…" Ryoko murmured, half dazed. This seemed almost like a  
dream…, communicating with her loathed rival with a thought, and  
now her most fearsome adversary was stepping away from her!?  
Why yes, for indeed the hunter had turned her back and was about  
to…  
  
"Oh yes… I forgot to tell you something princess." Nagi turned back  
around, a wry grin on my face. "If this big fish of mine proves to be  
nothing but a soft whale, I won't *need* your help. Then when I get  
bored… it's all off."  
  
"HEY!" Aeka shrieked. "You promised…!"  
  
"Call it a respite. Besides…" Nagi murmured, as Ryoko snarled at  
her, and pointedly ignored her ex-quarry. "… if I don't call on your  
services, your pledge will mean nothing to you. Rest assured, if I  
really do need the aid which I trust you will provide, I will abide by  
my word, for all time." She grinned. "As for you, Ryoko, I doubt it  
would be wise to grow soft." The grin turned into a sardonic leer. "I  
hope you will prove more of a challenge next time."  
  
"Oh, believe me Nagi," Ryoko clenched her fist forcefully before her.  
"I'll rip…"  
  
Aeka interposed herself between the two, as her guardians faded  
into the background. "If there is a next time." She reminded the two  
of them solemnly.  
  
"Indeed." Nagi smirked. "We shall see. For the time being, my  
quarrel with you and Ryoko end here, princess." Her blue eyes  
gleamed menacingly at Ryoko, even despite their truce their enmity  
was yet to be at end. "I take my leave of you, Ryoko. Oh, and from  
now till the time we meet again, please do remember to take *good*  
care of yourself." Her patronising words ended, the bounty hunter  
haughtily turned and walked away, almost deliberately turning her  
back to Ryoko.  
  
The space pirate growled and raised an orange, glowing hand at the  
receding figure, only to feel the touch of gentle, restraining fingers  
on her forearm.  
  
"Huh?" She looked up into amethyst eyes…  
  
"No, Ryoko." Aeka shook her head slowly, her violet tresses cutting  
slightly through the dark shadows. "Peace, for now."   
  
The princess didn't just speak for Nagi.  
  
Hesitating at first, the space pirate nodded in approval and lowered  
her hand. Nagi's silhouette had long since melted into the shadows,  
and above them Ken-oh-ki silently moved off. Aeka and Ryoko  
silently stood by each other, accompanied only by the slight  
rustling of the leaves in the night wind, and the shadows cast by the  
faint light of the moon upon the silent, standing sentinels all about  
them.  
  
Nestled within Ryoko's palm, Ryo-oh-ki shifted in her rest and  
cuddled closer to her owner's side, before giving a soft, almost  
inaudible chuckle, like she was in a sweet dream of carrots… or of  
Ken-oh-ki.  
  
======= ^_^ Ah well, back to the busy couple ^_^ =======  
  
"Hmm!!" Kiyone smacked her lips. "Nice." She purred.  
  
"Let's try this out then," Kova murmured with a wry grin, before  
reaching forward to taste what she had to offer him. Kiyone smiled  
as his lips closed around, then pulled back. "Ahh!" He sighed. "I'll  
say! This has got to be the best I ever tasted!"  
  
"Yeah, me too." She laughed, then she took another helping. "I  
wonder why it does…"  
  
"You know, we really should have tried this out earlier," Kova  
grinned back as he watched her swallow, their mutual relish of each  
other's presence and proximity expelling the weighty matters from  
their minds to recede into unimportance. "Who would have thought  
it'd be so nice?"  
  
"True… Maybe because it's you." She replied, gently.  
  
"Perhaps." Kova opened his mouth wide and his tongue playfully  
flicked out to lick the morsel, and Kiyone shivered with joy as she  
watched and felt him. "I like the idea of you being on the other end."  
  
"So do I, Kova-chan. My turn."   
  
"Open your mouth wide and say 'aaah'!"  
  
Kiyone's eyes twinkled as she complied, and Kova laughingly  
placed it into her mouth, watching in pleasure as her lips curled  
around the shaft.   
  
"Yum!" The green haired detective laughed as she withdrew her  
lips.  
  
"I'm sure… pity it's not warm." Kova passed her the spoon back. (  
Oh, were u thinking of something else ^_^ ? ) "Sasami really knows  
her stuff, but I'll say the greatest flavouring would be just your touch  
being there."  
  
Kiyone smiled appreciatively as she fed him another mouthful,  
before glancing back at the packet. "Oh darned… it's almost empty  
already."  
  
Kova took the utensil from her and prepared to scrape out the  
remaining morsels out. "Heh, then I'll make sure you get every  
single bit of them."  
  
"Hold on a second…" The green haired lady reached over for the  
spoon and…  
  
Snap.  
  
"Huh?" he managed, as he looked at the broken handle of the  
spoon between his fingers. The bit Kiyone was holding was the  
bowl of the spoon, plus a very little bit of the handle. "What…?"  
  
"There." She grinned as she returned the bowl to him.   
  
Looking oddly at her, he filled the spoon, or what remained of it,  
with the last bits of food in the packet, his forefinger and thumb  
gripping tightly to the tiny length in the plastic that served as the  
handle. "Oh well, I guess it's the last serving, so it should be okay."  
He held it out to her.  
  
Kiyone grinned again, and shook her head. "Hold it with your lips,  
Kova-chan." Her eyes twinkled cheerily.  
  
Kova blinked once, then, still looking a little stunned, complied, his  
lips holding tight to the very small bit of plastic. "Mmm?" He  
queried, unable to talk, eyes going from her to the spoon right under  
his nose.  
  
His lady shook her head, winked and beckoned to him, before just  
opening her mouth just wide enough to admit it. Kova, still gripping  
the spoon tightly in his lips, as the handle is so short his teeth could  
not touch it, approached her a bit gingerly, and Kiyone had to fight  
to keep herself from laughing. Then her lips closed around two  
thirds the length of the bowl of the spoon plus the food on it, and  
she could feel his breath on her face, see his blue eyes right before  
her, wide and staring with an odd mixture of surprise and felicity.   
  
Emerald eyes twinkling, Kiyone let her lips drag back from the bowl,  
and at the last moment,with a mischievous wink, lightly jerked the  
spoon out. Kova started in surprise as he realised the thing, with  
still about a third of its load, would spill on the ground, and his face  
quickly reached out to catch it in his mouth, as at the same time  
Kiyone, anticipating his reaction, did the same.  
  
Kova blinked again as his lips met hers, with the whole of the spoon  
in their mouths. He opened his mouth slightly as though to say  
something, but Kiyone seized the chance and gently tilted her chin  
down as she raised her head slightly, and the spoon spilled its  
remaining contents back along its broken bit into his mouth. The  
detective smiled at the surprised look on his face before turning  
away, and spitting the piece of plastic out. "Liked it that way?" She  
grinned.  
  
Kova, astonishment finally giving way to the light of joy on his face,  
carefully munched his fare, before swallowing. He smiled  
uncertainly at her, looking sheepish yet delighted, before managing,  
"That was great! God, if there ever was a nice surprise…!"  
  
"Thank you." She replied, pleased. "Just thought it'd be more  
interesting to end it that way."  
  
"Interesting?" He chuckled. "That was pleasure, pure and simple."  
The flavour in Sasami's cooking added that much more in texture  
anyway, so they didn't have to actually kiss.  
  
"Glad you liked it." She glanced at him, at the brownish red stains  
on his white long sleeved shirt. "How's your shoulder now?"  
  
"You know your touch and care mend my hurts like nothing else in  
this universe possibly can."  
  
"Yeah…" She closed her eyes, heart pleased but mind irked. "But  
you still haven't told me why the hell the blood was all over your  
shoulder!" Her green eyes opened and bore into his. "Do you know  
how I hate it when you refuse to say if you're hurt!?" She thought  
back to the time when he had left to fight despite his injury, and  
when he was in the Shuriken refusing to admit he was injured.  
  
"It's noth…" his voice died as he looked at her furious gaze. "I had  
to do battle, Kiyone-chan. He was good." He thought back to  
himself, attacking wildly with lightning speed. "Every stroke, every  
flex of my muscles must have made it that little bit worse." He  
added, looking almost bemused.  
  
"You are crazy at times, you know." She thought back to a few  
minutes ago, when she was tending to him. "Why did you leave it  
unattended for so long?"  
  
He stared straight at her, his blue eyes gleaming oddly. "It just didn't  
seem to matter at the time." His voice dropped lower. "Something  
else hurt, far more than it had."  
  
"Look, I didn't…"  
  
"Yeah," his tongue ran over his lips, only this time it was in  
nervousness. "I didn't think you meant it, but as I said it hurt still."   
  
"You know it's all a sham, just a…"   
  
A movement in the shadows, in the alleyway… a glimpse of colour  
amidst the darkness…  
  
Kiyone started as she saw his eyes widen and pupils dilate…  
  
His lips barely moved. "Trust me…" His face was tight and tense,  
words light as a ghost of a zephyr, mere whispers along the wind.  
"…and be yourself…"  
  
Then his warm blue eyes hardened into cold stones, their bright  
surfaces muting to liken to the dim night, cold and distant. It was  
almost all she could do to stop herself from shaking her head in  
muted shock and disbelief as she saw his face turn cruel and cold,  
malicious and malevolent like those of countless criminals she had  
faced before, the look of a hardened soul weathered by decades of  
daring escapades and dangerous experiences, and forged through  
the fires from innumerable instances of feral cunning and timely  
evasions. Kiyone almost expected to see the scars she had seen on  
the profile Washu showed her to materialise on his face…  
  
"Well, *Inspector*," his voice dripped honeyed venom. "Why *have*  
you brought along another?" He seemed to be speaking only to  
Kiyone, but the words were spoken sibilantly enough to carry.  
  
"I don't know what you are talking about!" Kiyone replied, her face  
uncertain, though she thought she was beginning to suspect  
something…  
  
"Lies!" He hissed, finger pointing behind her. "See for yourself…"  
  
Kiyone would have turned around in obedience if it were the Kova  
she was so used to, but somehow she sensed she was now facing  
a deadly fugitive from the law rather than the man she loved so  
much, and the manner he regarded her had already awakened in  
her instincts that had saved her life, as well as that of Mihoshi's, on  
many previous occasions.  
  
As Kiyone turned around she sensed a movement from Kova's  
direction and hurled herself onto the ground, her breath catching as  
as an arc of silver streaked past where her head should have been.  
From the speed and force, if it had landed, it would have been  
incapacitating, if not fatal.  
  
Further down the lane the figure saw the silver projectile streaking  
straight towards it from past Kiyone's head and just managed to  
dive aside without getting struck.  
  
Kiyone had no leisure to watch as she let her training take full rein,  
rolling over on the ground, GP blaster firing, but already he was  
upon her, his body just sliding by the shots as his left hand gripped  
her right wrist and slammed it, along with the blaster, hard onto the  
ground.   
  
====================================  
  
A good distance further down the river, the cop saw the golden  
blasts shoot from over railings a good distance away to head  
skywards.  
  
Oh *shit*!  
  
Eyes stared for a second at the jumble of buildings between here  
and that distant alleyway, then at the twisting byways leading  
behind back to where he came from.  
  
Shit gotta get there *fast*!  
  
====================================  
  
Kiyone deftly twisted aside to the right and lifted both her knees up  
to her chest, as her enemy just missed pinning both her legs onto  
the ground with his right, her torque lifting her right wrist off the  
ground. An instant later, left hand gripping the collar of the viciously  
contorted face, she lashed out with both legs in a kick to his  
stomach, only to be blocked as he brought his left leg up before his  
form that was being thrown onto hers.  
  
"Kiyone!" She heard someone cry out in the distance behind.  
  
Pulling his head down to hers as she rolled over backwards, both  
her legs flipped his body over her in a diagonal stomach throw to  
her right. She felt his fringe brush by her face, and blinked in  
momentary confusion as his lips gently caressed her cheeks, an  
instant before he slammed his right hand on the ground just behind  
her head so he would not fall flat over, while his left was still pinning  
her weapon wielding hand onto the ground.  
  
The onlooker stared, worried about firing due to Kiyone's proximity.  
  
Knowing he had arrested her throw, Kiyone rolled further back onto  
her shoulders, her lower back leaving the ground as both her legs  
aimed for where his chest should be in his hand standing state.  
Kova's right hand and left fist punched out at the ground as he  
straightened his elbows, pushing his body up as his hip twisted  
clockwise and over his head so he could stand. Kiyone cursed  
mentally as his chest disappeared from in front of her feet and he  
pulled her right hand off the ground, still holding it so the blaster  
muzzle was facing away from him.  
  
Have to get up too, before he can react!  
  
Her feet's trajectory curled down to touch the ground as she made  
to roll completely over to get up just as he was about to land on his  
feet, his left hand already pointing her blaster skywards.  
  
The watcher's weapon rose up to fire as the wielder realised the  
criminal was about to stand up, before hearing a slight whizzing  
sound from behind…  
  
DANGER! Some instinct cried out.  
  
The figure hurled itself to the left, but it was a little too late, as a  
speeding rod of metal slammed forcefully into its right wrist…  
  
Damned that hurts!  
  
The blaster fell to the ground…  
  
Kova's feet had already touched down and he was almost standing  
upright, back to back with Kiyone, while she was still about to  
straighten her body. Quickly he stepped forward, away from Kiyone,  
while turning left to face behind, left foot stepping anti clockwise to  
beside his right as his left hand, still gripping tightly to her right,  
pulled her wrist straight up in front of him. Kiyone felt a wrenching  
pain shoot through her right arm for as she stood upright her arm  
was twisted behind her, and then fell backwards as her captor  
pulled her back, her fall arrested by the feel of her blaster muzzle  
against her left back. Kova's left hand slid up her wrist to grip  
around her numbed hand, index finger resting against the trigger,  
as his right went behind his back and caught the returning rod.  
  
The figure, seeing Kiyone's distress, quickly dived and caught up  
the blaster from the floor, but Kova had already turned so he was  
facing the shadowed figure, his back to the river, his right hand  
darting out from around his captive's right shoulder to jab a cold  
cylinder of metal under Kiyone's chin, pointing diagonally inwards  
into her head.  
  
"Drop the weapon, cop." Kova announced coldly to the distant  
person. "And show yourself." Kiyone, her expression an odd  
mixture of despair, hurt, confusion, and anger, tried to struggle but  
the blaster pressed harder on her back, the finger added pressure  
on hers to pull the trigger, while the rod increased its pressure on  
her windpipe. "Quit it." He whispered harshly into her ear. "I'd like to  
give you a good lay before I see you off, but if you push your luck it  
may not hold out." His voice was low and laced with menace, but it  
carried, and there was no trace of the feeling for her in the voice at  
all…  
  
Oh no… she thought to herself almost instinctively. The chief was  
right, this will be my last mistake…   
  
NO! Kova-chan would never hurt me… this is just an act… that is all  
it is… she reminded herself, trying to fight back the fear.  
  
Reluctantly, the figure walked out into the light of the lamp nearest  
to her, blaster held point down directly at the ground. Orange light  
touched on fiery auburn hair, cropped neatly around the fair  
skinned face of the slightly built lady.  
  
"Drop the weapon." Kiyone felt his hot breath against her left ear.  
Feeling his tight grip, the wrenching pain in her arm, and the  
pressure of the blaster and rod against her body, Kiyone felt awfully  
alone and frightened…  
  
Kova-chan loves me, he loves me…   
  
All the memories flooded back to her of the times they had spent  
together…  
  
Yes he *must* love me… But the grip on her wrist didn't loosen, nor  
did the pressure on her throat let up.  
  
"Okay, okay…" Mitsuki murmured, bending down slowly to place  
the blaster on the ground. "Just don't do anything stupid."   
  
"Well, look who's talking." Kova replied from behind Kiyone, slowly  
moving so he and Mitsuki were in a straight line perpendicular to the  
river's flow. "Another dumb Galaxy Police hussy." He leaned his  
back against a wall, facing Kiyone towards the railings on his right,  
with Mitsuki standing a good distance away on his left. "Where's the  
other cop?" He demanded.  
  
"I don't know I…" Mitsuki's voice faded away. Kiyone felt her blaster  
muzzle leave her back as Kova's hand directed it aside, to face  
Mitsuki's direction. The brunette felt her heart sink and constrict  
with fear as she saw the blaster aiming straight at her from between  
the green-haired detective's back and the criminal's chest, and her  
muscles tensed.  
  
"No no don't make a move…" Kova murmured, his voice sounding  
confident and relaxed, and going in a "Tsk tsk…" fashion. "Or this  
friend of yours might have to go see a doctor for a case of collapsed  
windpipe…" He grinned, and Mitsuki felt herself caught in the grip of  
uncertainty. "Go on, and say where your other green-haired friend  
is."  
  
"I… really don't know…" She murmured weakly, but inside she  
made a decision.  
  
If I go down, I'll go down fighting. Kiyone's finished, and she'd want  
me to make a break anyway, to hell with what 231 said…  
  
Kiyone's eyes widened as she saw downwards, to the right of  
where she faced the railings, there was a slight movement and a  
shadow rose up, silently and soundlessly, from over the edge of the  
slope under the railings, observing Kova and herself.  
  
He must have got here by the ledge along the river!  
  
The person winked at her fearful expression from behind a curl of  
dark green, almost black, hair, before giving her an OK sign with his  
left hand. A cold chill seized her heart as a tiny black handgun was  
raised from over the edge of the cement, aimed directly behind her  
head straight at Kova's. The spy was apparently unaware of the  
lethal threat, the entirety of his attention focused on savouring  
Mitsuki's unease, and a rapid burst of thoughts exploded within her  
mind.  
  
Oh no… no… this can't be happening!  
  
Kova loves me, he loves me…  
  
He's hurting me! I can feel his weapon pressing against my throat!  
  
No he loves me I mustn't let this happen!  
  
He doesn't, and never did! The old Kiyone shouted at her. He was  
just using you! And he is going to kill you now and you are still  
believing that nonsense!?  
  
Kiyone felt her heart on the verge of breaking, then her mind burst  
through into the dangerous realms bordering on insanity on the  
other side.   
  
Well, let's find out. Her mind grinned madly at itself.  
  
Besides, if he doesn't, then we'll die together… I love him too much  
anyway.  
  
Her old faith reasserted itself… But that won't happen, he *will* let  
up, I *know* it…  
  
All these thoughts were processed in barely a fraction of a second.  
  
There was a blur of movement as her left leg swung upwards and  
forwards in a halfmoon arc, sending her foot over her shoulder to  
smash hard into Kova's right cheek. Starbursts of pain exploded in  
the right side of his face, and as he reeled back hard against the wall  
in pain and shock, his movement disrupting Seion's aim and  
composure merely a bare split second before the Operative was  
about to open fire.  
  
*!!?!!* Kova and Seion thought simultaneously.  
  
Mitsuki blinked, almost expecting to see the rod disappear upwards  
into Kiyone's head in a scarlet spurt of crimson blood, but no such  
thing happened. Kiyone Makibi, 2nd class Chief Inspector, of  
Standard Enforcement Unit 37A, rapidly followed up, thrusting  
upwards with a backward half scorpion kick in her right leg that  
struck his inner thigh, and sent another shock, though this time  
more of surprise than of pain, along Kova's body as her left leg  
landed to support her weight again.  
  
Seion's heart settled down from absolute, almost angered,  
incredulity that Kiyone would compromise her safety into surprised,  
almost envious, reassurance, seeing that apparently she was not  
dead although she should have been the instant she tried to attack  
the criminal. His aim was ruined, and also judging that from the look  
of astonishment on Kova's face and the confidence in Kiyone's  
assault it was unlikely that she would be killed anytime soon, so he  
bided his time and remained in cover. If Kiyone could not do the job  
herself, then he might be able to surprise the fellow.   
  
Apart from assurance about Kiyone's wellbeing, Operative 231 was  
also immensely relieved that he would not have to commit  
something as dishonourable as sniping at a warrior as talented as  
this man. He would normally just have aimed for the hands or legs,  
but in the earlier circumstance, Kiyone's safety simply could NOT be  
compromised.  
  
Kiyone rapidly bent down, her left hand pushing his thigh back and  
up while her right leg's continued sweep back lifted his other leg up,  
as she practically impaled her head on her captor's silver weapon.  
Kova, still in shock, lowered his right hand in a swift, blurred  
movement in response to the increased pressure on his rod lest she  
crush her own throat, while at the same time relaxing his hold on  
her right arm for fear she might dislocate it while moving so quickly  
in the burst of speed and power she needed for the throw.  
  
What the hell is she playing at!?  
  
She must have spotted something…  
  
Kiyone nodded to herself in affirmation, trying to stop the tears of  
joy and pain from flowing down her cheeks as she hurled the one  
closest to her heart over her back and away from her.  
  
He *loves* me…  
  
But her throat hurt painfully from her initial drop-throw dip as did  
her arm from the split second Kova had yet to react. As to the side  
Mitsuki dived for her blaster Kova rolled over rapidly as he landed  
so as to absorb the impact, but nevertheless, contrived to glare  
angrily at Kiyone as he swiftly got back to his feet. "You…!" Yet his  
eyes were in fact searching in the direction he had faced Kiyone in  
…  
  
The Operative! He realised as he spotted the shadow, watching him,  
but the operative noted only his glare and anger directed at Kiyone,  
for Kova hid his astonishment and fear at his revelation well.…  
  
As one, Kiyone and Mitsuki levelled their blasters at Kova. "Freeze!"  
  
"No problem…" he laughed in amusement as his expression of  
anger melted away, leaping backwards as the two ladies opened  
fire. Golden beams streaked by his form, still clothed a whirl of black  
and white as he cartwheeled over, and his forearms wreathed in  
cerulean light as the golden beams bounced off.   
  
Mustn't let him get away! Seion thought, rapidly sprinting along the  
thin ledge lining the river to close where Kova would land. As Kova  
laughingly touched down, the lasers deflecting off his shield, a  
shadow vaulted over the railings just behind him…  
  
Seion was about to clear his throat to cordially invite Kova's  
attention, when without even turning around, Kova swung his  
scythe behind in a one-handed blazing arc, to the utter  
astonishment of the Torabushi clansman.  
  
*HOW* did…!?  
  
He would have been sliced neatly into two halves at his waist if he  
had not by sheer reflex brought his Tiger Trident to bear against the  
sweep. The sparks had not even leaped up before Kova, his left  
hand before him deflecting the shots, let go of his scythe, swivelling  
his right forearm up along his elbow to slam his knuckles right into  
Seion's face, then elbowed the bewildered and stunned operative in  
the chest. His scythe, after its momentum had impacted it against  
Seion's weapon, had slid down along the length of the Trident's  
handle while Seion staggered back to the railing, but had caught on  
Kova's shoe, which he had turned so his leather shoe tip was facing  
Seion. Still not bothering to face the Operative, and wearing a wry  
grin on his face, Kova kicked the scythe, sending it spinning into  
the Operative's face in a swirl of lethal cerulean and azure. Only the  
raw instinct, sharpened skill, and swift reflexes 231 possessed, all of  
which were trained to be unfettered by his mind's boggled state, got  
Seion to bring the Trident up with his right hand before his face as  
he threw himself backwards over the railings and used his left hand  
to swivel his entire body back over the railing.   
  
Well that settles that fellow, Kova smirked to himself as he imagined  
Seion's reaction, which he had so far foreseen accurately, while  
expecting anytime to hear a sploosh as the fellow flung himself into  
the river. Pity I can't turn to enjoy the scene.  
  
However, the most important phrase in that statement, rather than  
being 'foreseen accurately', would be more correctly the phrase 'so  
far.'  
  
As the scythe sliced into the top of the railing and collided with the  
edge of green metal, Seion's felt boots slammed with his body's  
momentum into the gap between base of the railing and the ground,  
the force squeezing it into the slightly tight aperture and smashing  
right into both of Kova's heels from behind.  
  
Kiyone almost burst out laughing as her seemingly ceaselessly  
sanguine companion's azure eyes popped open in bewildered  
chagrin ere his form tumbled unceremoniously backwards into an  
unsightly heap.  
  
Kova cursed in anger, realising what happened, even though he  
was not exactly hurt very much, and his rod had returned to his  
right hand. In that same instant Seion blinked, his triumphant grin  
vanishing as rapidly as it had appeared, for he saw the golden  
beams looking set to streak over the collapsed criminal and right  
into his face.   
  
Oops…  
  
Quickly his left hand let go of the bar, and his torso swung  
backwards down to lie flat on air as Kiyone's and Mitsuki's earlier  
shots tore apart the upper midsection of the railings and travelled  
over his chest and Trident. Kova rolled forward away from Seion  
towards Kiyone as he turned to face skywards, both his forearms  
flaying about before his face and upper body to fend off the shots  
as his feet contacted the base of Seion's boots. Kicking backwards,  
he pushed off from Seion's feet like a swimmer pushing off a wall,  
while his elbows and back both arched downwards impacting  
against the ground, resulting a diagonal impulse launching him him  
in Kiyone's, and there was a yelp and a splash as the force threw  
Seion back into the river. The spy lightly landed on his hands like an  
acrobat, and propelled himself in a spinning jump towards Kiyone  
while deflecting their attacks.  
  
Mitsuki, seeing their attacks were ineffective as he prepared to  
pounce on Kiyone, raced towards Kiyone towards her left, but had  
to dive to avoid two blasts Kova deflected in her direction as he  
somersaulted over in mid air. Kiyone hurled herself diagonally back  
to her right - otherwise her head would have been caught neatly  
between his ankles and quite possibly twisted off. As things were  
he turned sideways in midair, his right leg sweeping downwards, to  
be prevented from smashing into Kiyone's left shoulder by her  
upraised left arm.  
  
Ouch! Kiyone mentally cried out as Kova's full weight slammed  
down against her arm.  
  
Her temporary lapse gave Kova's left leg ample time to swing out as  
she brought her blaster up to face the man landing before her, and  
the weapon was flung out of her hand to skitter just under the  
railings and onto the ledge by the river, as Mitsuki's shots bounced  
off his right shield, before lashing out at the brunette on his right as  
he faced the wall. The fiery haired detective let her body arch back,  
leaving her right hand in front to let him hit her blaster out of her  
grip, as her right heel hurtled upwards from behind him, even while  
Kiyone launched a high back kick with her right towards the back of  
his head. Kova ducked his head down, and as Kiyone's leg  
slammed into the wall Mitsuki's kick connected the small of his back  
and he started up in surprised pain and shock.   
  
Underestimated them… damned!!  
  
Kiyone smiled sweetly as his face came up just barely an inch  
behind her right heel, and Kova just managed to swing both his  
own legs up and forward in an attempt to flatten out his body in mid  
air between the two cops. This absorbed the impact as Kiyone's  
right backswing struck him moderately hard under the jaw while  
just barely circumventing Mitsuki's low left sweep to his legs. The  
red head's fist lashed out at his right shoulder for the split second  
he was lying in mid air, and although struck and in pain, in response  
to the torque generated he turned to face Mitsuki in mid air,  
swinging his left foot out causing Kiyone to retreat back as he  
whirled through ninety degrees to land a crushing blow on Mitsuki's  
right shoulder blade an instant before he fell heavily on his right  
shoulder. The brunette staggered back from the pain as he rapidly  
leaped up, blue light blazing as his rod formed into his standard  
weapon.   
  
Mitsuki's eyes widened through the haze of pain as for the first time  
she beheld what she had only glimpsed briefly when Kova had tried  
to surprise Seion. The spy snarled viciously, sweeping it backwards  
to ward Kiyone off from behind him before launching himself at the  
somewhat stunned Mitsuki, whose mind reeled in fear from the  
sheer size and eerie brightness of the thing that was whistling down  
towards her like the scythe of Death himself.  
  
Shink… KRAK!  
  
Kova and Mitsuki stared in surprise at the teal Trident that had  
appeared from seemingly nowhere to stick perpendicularly into the  
wall, its wooden handle arresting the deadly blow that would  
otherwise have carved Mitsuki into two. Kova barely managed to  
throw himself backwards on time as a speeding form shot out from  
the direction of the river and rammed hard before him into the wall  
on his left, leaving two deep dents in the brick, and a fist flashed out,  
striking him in the left forearm as the attacker turned to regard him.  
  
Vengeance!  
  
Green eyes shone out menacingly, and Mitsuki had to dodge away  
and under the green blade, as the dripping Operative furiously  
swung his Trident out from behind him in a blur, fear sweeping over  
her like an icy wave as the tips just missed ripping her face open  
just as they were ripping chunks of concrete out of the wall. Kova,  
trying to ignore the pain in his forearm, narrowed his eyes as he  
readied himself for Seion's assault, but suddenly they widened as  
he remembered…. His left arm whirled back, just in time to block  
Kiyone's backhand chop to the nape of his neck, as his scythe  
spun around in a blur to counter Seion's sudden barrage of  
assaults.   
  
Kiyone smiled to herself, undeterred, her hands quickly gripping the  
sides of Kova's waist as he gave ground before Seion's blows,  
before she let herself roll down and back. Kova's eyes started in  
surprise as his lady lifted him up and off the ground, narrowly  
maintaining his sense of direction enough to parry and prevent  
Seion from running him through as he was hurled backwards and  
away. Using the momentum to spin, he just managed to make out  
the railing he was hurtling towards and promptly let his scythe  
swing over his head, slicing the railing apart before his form  
cannoned through the space thus created, then landing with a  
resounding splash in the river. As the shimmering jet surface closed  
around his form, concentric waves rippled from where he had broke  
the surface, and his blue scythe vanished…  
  
Seion's temper had been by no means assuaged by his recent dip,  
but seeing Kova land thus his face broke out into a huge grin,  
although he was already leaping through the air after the spy and  
into the water. Kova dived into the darkened depths a mere instant  
before the sharpened teal tips of metal plunged into the space he  
had been, leaving behind something silver…  
  
"AAHH!" as he struck the water 231 screamed out in pain, having  
triggered the rod into releasing its reduced payload of electricity  
(anything too great would kill both of them). Kova, who was already  
two and half metres away, and making for the shore, felt numbing  
pain shoot up his legs and the shout behind him died into an  
"Arrrbrbb…" as the Operative sank beneath the surface.  
  
Opening his right hand as he paddled, the rod coursed through the  
water to nestle back into Kova's palm, as a while later he reached  
the side, using his arms only to paddle as his legs spasmed slightly  
in his wake. Mitsuki and Kiyone sprinted over to the railings to stare  
at Seion's sinking figure, while Kova emerged from the water.  
  
"There he is…!" shouted Mitsuki, pointing down, but Kiyone had  
already leaped over the railings and dived into the water. Mitsuki  
had half raised her arm to fire before she suddenly remembered she  
didn't have her blaster handy. Kova, sitting on the ledge waiting for  
feeling to return to his lower limbs, watched her in a bemused  
fashion, then leisurely opened a portal in front of him and stepped  
through, albeit with trembling legs.  
  
Seion felt his senses return as he gulped in mouthful of river water.  
Choking and gasping for breath, he started thrashing outwards and  
up, just managing to keep from swallowing another mouthful before  
he broke the surface to hungrily gulp in mouthfuls of fresh air. His  
vision was lighted up with dots, his whole body ached all over, and  
even though he had gulped a mouthful of water his throat still felt  
unnaturally dry and parched.  
  
"You all right?" Someone reached over to support him, one hand  
under his left armpit holding his torso and another hand over his  
shoulder cupped around his chin, holding it up above the water.  
  
For a reply, Seion continued to gulp hungrily at the air, his legs  
kicking erratically and in what looked very much like spasms.  
  
Kiyone, almost without thinking, swam back for shore, with the  
gulping Seion in tow. Her mind told her he was going to be able to  
keep on the surface by himself anyway, but her body did not  
seemed to be obeying…  
  
"I'm fine," Seion managed, his hands and legs starting to work  
normally.  
  
Kiyone continued regardless, half hauling him out of water to lie  
resting on the ledge as Mitsuki vaulted over the railings to stand  
over them. The former was about to start pumping his stomach to  
force the water out when Seion shook his head. Weakly he got into  
a half sitting position, turned to face the water, and quite  
unexpectedly, smashed his right fist hard into his stomach. Kiyone  
and Mitsuki blinked in astonishment as he doubled up from the  
pain, before vomiting the water out.  
  
"Aah, that's better." Seion blinked once and twice as his vision  
finally returned to normal and the queasy feeling left his insides. His  
two collegues could do nothing but stare, and he suddenly gave  
vent to a huge burp as he dipped his left hand into the river,  
seeming searching for something… "Heh, there you are…" Both  
ladies' eyes widened further as he drew from the water his Tiger  
Trident, before, still dripping from head to toe, he unsteadily got to  
his feet, slid his weapon behind his back, and regarded Kiyone  
intently. "About just now… I don't know what to say, Kiyone…"  
  
The emerald eyes, so like her own, shone brightly with a mixture of  
half amazed pleasure, gratefulness, astonishment and delight, and  
Kiyone found herself drawn to them, enthralled by their emotions…  
she could almost feel how it felt to hold the Operative's magnificent  
physique, which was certainly much better developed than Kova's  
own, and she could feel…  
  
No, not exactly love but… pride!?!?  
  
Kiyone blinked in surprise at her own thoughts, banishing the  
image and the emotions. "Well, I'm glad to have been of service…"  
for a moment she was going to address him as Seion, but seeing  
the look in his eyes, and remembering the one who had just left the  
scene, she decided not to risk encouraging this starry eyed person  
before her. "… sir."  
  
Seion's eyes dimmed as he saw the defensive sheen glaze over her  
eyes again and what seemed to be a start of a rosy blush faded  
back into nothingness. "Yeah, you have been." He nodded,  
becoming his usual self again. "I am so grateful to you and…"  
  
"*Excuse* me for interrupting, but what about our quarry?" Mitsuki  
grated.  
  
Seion's face darkened in anger as he recalled Kova. "That stupid  
bastard son of a bitch put one over me again!" His fist clenched up.   
  
Kiyone's mind riled in a mixture of anger and irritation as she heard  
Kova being addressed in that fashion. "Forget it…" she murmured,  
veiling her anger well. "At least we're all right…"  
  
"Easy for you to say," Mitsuki retorted. "You don't have a black  
listed grunt rank back at HQ to go back to…"  
  
Kiyone's brows knitted in anger at Mitsuki. "Well all this wouldn't  
have happened if you hadn't showed up! I was doing just fine…" A  
brief pang of regret flashed through her as she recalled what she  
and Kova had been going on about… then that his wound had been  
tended to and they were both feeling rather glad after eating  
Sasami's meal, maybe, just maybe…  
  
"Oh yeah right you were doing just fine…" Mitsuki replied. "If I  
remember right, you were all tied up, and with your ass close to him  
too, from the way he was threatening you about a lay…"  
  
Kiyone gritted her teeth in anger and was about to retort when…  
  
"Shut up, Mitsuki." Seion ordered tersely.  
  
"And what about you?" She asked, turning her attention on him  
with some vengeance. "I didn't see you do anything much, except  
get knocked out from behind him to fall into the water…"  
  
"Well, for your information, I was the one who saved your life."  
Seion answered, sounding annoyed. "An action I have no doubt I  
will and am regretting."  
  
"My thanks for that, but you know as well as I do that was merely a  
discharging of responsibility to a fellow team member." Mitsuki  
replied. "I didn't see you doing anything to actually help with the  
fellow."  
  
"Well, I…" Seion, remembering something that had been gnawing  
on his mind, suddenly turned to face Kiyone, who had walked away  
in mild irritation from the two arguing Galaxy Police personnel, and  
was in the process of bending down to pick up her blaster.  
"Kiyone?"  
  
"Yes, sir?" She replied, straightening. In her other pocket she still  
had Kova's blaster, which she had conscientiously refrained from  
using lest it hurt Kova, attracted undue attention or caused too  
much damage to the place around.  
  
"You saw me, didn't you?" He asked, remembering when she was  
held hostage, and his voice seemed to become awfully monotonous  
and cautiously low, like the calm before a storm…  
  
"Erm… yeah…" Kiyone contrived to look sheepish and confused.  
  
"Then *why…*" His voice rose by several pitches. "the F*** did you  
put yourself in that kind of danger!?" He managed to keep the  
volume of his voice down, and somehow she knew his anger was  
not directed at her. "Do you have *any* idea what might have  
happened!? What would I ever *do* if that metal thing had been  
stuffed right up your throat!?"  
  
Kiyone felt herself shrink back… the righteous accusation as well  
as the obvious agitation Seion was in spoke *volumes* about how  
he cared for her, and somehow seemed familiar… "I…"  
  
"… don't give a damn about why you went and pulled that kind of  
stunt." He answered, not exactly expressing anger but something  
close to distress and fear. "I *never* want to see you to do  
*anything* of the kind or to have *any* contact with that criminal  
ever again!" He looked at her unappreciatively reluctant look. "Do  
you understand!?"  
  
Kiyone felt her own anger flare up. "I am very sorry, *sir*." She  
retorted coldly. "But I will *not* obey those orders." Her emotions  
took over, as it had when she was speaking to the Section Chief. "I  
did it because I *know* he would never hurt me, and as for contact,  
it is part of my *duty* as a Galaxy Police Officer to do my *best* to  
resolve a situation peacefully to maintain law and order!"  
  
Seion stared, seeming almost to want to explode in astonishment,  
while Mitsuki laughed inwardly to herself.  
  
Kiyone, oh my Kiyone, how quickly you're losing it…  
  
For a moment she was about to let loose a stinging remark about  
how Kova *had* hurt her, but then suddenly… a wild, almost  
impossible notion struck her…  
  
No it can't be! Anyone, but not Kiyone, no…!  
  
She stared at her two dark haired colleagues, locked in a contest of  
wills…  
  
Impossible… or is it…?  
  
Suddenly Seion bowed his head, almost as though he had been  
wounded. "I… I'm sorry Kiyone. Maybe later, okay?"  
  
Feeling him back down, Kiyone felt her anger subside, and with it  
the last of the adrenalin surge that had arisen since Kova hurled the  
rod at her back. Her hurts returned in full force, notably the pain in  
her right arm from his wrench, as well as the ache in her throat and  
from the heavy kick to her left arm. "I guess we had better be going  
then…"  
  
Seion nodded.  
  
Mitsuki asked once more. "What about that guy? Now he knows  
you've got the two of us, won't he make a break for it?"  
  
"No." Kiyone replied, not looking back as she leaped over the  
railing to land on the alleyway. "Washu says he will not leave this  
planet." She turned to look back down at the river…  
  
The same river…  
  
She closed her eyes, feeling the cool air about her, willing the  
feeling of his form by her, the two of them laughing as they leaped  
out from below… but there was another memory, of pulling Seion  
towards the shore, of seeing the Operative sink down under…  
  
A wave of a sadness whelmed her momentarily, causing her to  
shiver slightly.  
  
A poisoned memory… maybe… she hoped not.  
  
As she started on the way back to her apartment, trailed by Mitsuki  
and Seion who were arguing with each other about how much more  
the other should have been done, Kiyone's mind suddenly nailed  
down why she had had that feeling of deja vu when Seion had been  
ordering her about.  
  
It had been almost exactly the way she had shouted at Kova  
before…  
  
====================================  
  
Somewhere within Synerean airspace, in the vicinity of planet  
Colrathius…  
  
"Docking completed."   
  
The Overlord nodded, then quickly pressed the controls, sending  
fragments of information along various system pathways to  
departments and heads, before stepping into the exit panel that was  
glowing.  
  
"Aah, back at last." His form materialised as he was beamed down,  
and he waved a hand back to greet the welcoming Committee, who  
promptly cheered.  
  
"All right!" This sounded really weird, especially given some of the  
Committee looked at least seventy Earth years old. "Welcome back,  
Mentora!"  
  
"Thank you," He smiled affably at his staff, and most notably at the  
camera, which was telecasting his reception throughout the moon  
base that was the SKN-574 Research Labs. "I'm sorry, but we have  
to get cracking, so if you people don't mind we may have to forgo  
the customary celebration."  
  
There was a palpable groan of resignation from the Committee.  
  
"Look, I'm very sorry, but we have to do it…" the Overlord seemed  
pretty upset. "Anyway, don't know if it helps, but once we finish with  
this project you can all have at least a week off, plus indemnity from  
drafting into the military will be guaranteed for any civilian relation of  
all of you!"  
  
There was a gasp of surprised joy from the Committee. "*What*!?"  
They couldn't remember the last time there was a one week break,  
apart from the monthly vacational shifts.  
  
"Yeah, and if you folks wish to stay here and treat yourselves to a  
party, I'll personally see the wine and bread gets around!"  
  
There was a round of enthusiastic applause from the audience of  
the broadcast, and several older members of the Committee smiled  
toothlessly at each other.  
  
"If we can wrap this up in a week, its a ten percent raise for all of  
you. Make it three days, and it'll be twenty percent. Plus I will  
personally fund *all* of your private research projects!"  
  
Several screams of delight rang out from various places around the  
moon.  
  
"Assuming they are reasonable, of course," he added in a lower  
voice. "However, this current project will take *all* of your  
cooperation, so I would appreciate it if you would all put aside your  
private researches and testing for the time being, fine? For Ship  
Design, Armament, Construction Engineering, Shielding,  
Propulsion Boosters, Energy Core, all the relevant information have  
been sent to your department heads who will send them out shortly.  
Please see that by then you have made arrangements with the  
Suspension Facility to take care of your personal projects. As for  
the whole thing, I will be coordinating this myself, understand?"  
  
"Yes, sir!" The faces before him were beaming, ere they hurried off  
into various teleportation beams, all save for three members of the  
Committee  
  
"What about us?" They asked. The camera on the wall still took  
down all the details.  
  
"Cybernetics, the data is in place too, with the specifications. While  
your project is technically irrelevant to the other departments', I'm  
afraid you're expected to keep up with the rest as well."  
  
"Yes, sir!" The decrepit looking bald old man, with a beard reaching  
between his knees, quickly lurched off into the nearest teleportation  
tube.  
  
"Interface will be the Coordinator who will assist me in coordinating  
the projects." The lady, looking in her late forties, nodded her  
acquiescence before hurrying off.  
  
There was a single man left, who looked near fifty, and smiled slyly  
at Seida. "Mentora?"  
  
For a reply the silver-eyed man looked him straight in the eye.  
"Weaponry, why ask when you know?" There was a touch of  
amused camaraderie in his gaze.  
  
"Thank you, sir." The man bowed low and, not straightening himself  
yet, stepped back to vanish into another beam.  
  
Seida smiled one last time at the camera. "All right, that's all for now!  
Hop to it!" Before quitting the bay himself.  
  
Seating himself down at his desk, he nodded wearily, if a little  
happily, to himself.  
  
God I love this capitalistic system, it's almost too easy…  
  
Then his face darkened.  
  
Gusechard might get a little troublesome. I'll have to get rid of him  
just in case. Too bad, such a promising chap too… Ah well, it's just  
a matter of who gets who first, I just have to make sure he gets the  
Weaponry section to work before doing so.  
  
Gingerly, he pressed a code into the panel by the side of his desk,  
then watched as the top of desk opened to reveal a screen, and was  
not at all surprised to see some green letters on them.  
  
You have done well, Captain. The completed weapon, please, as  
soon as you finish building it.  
  
Staring at the message, his white brows compressed tightly  
together in annoyance, then he sat back in his chair, his face  
looking angered.  
  
Damn you, so you think you're so smart… ordering me to and fro  
like I'm some kind of dog. Things will change soon, I assure you…   
  
His hands danced over the data pad, and the suspension cells  
appeared on the screen. As he had ordered, the bodies from tubes  
2159, 5183, 6196 and 8246 had been vacated, and though two of  
them were still filled, it was clearly by a different person. Checking  
records, he was glad to note that the Cybernetics department had  
indeed followed his orders to send out his Delivery…  
  
====================================  
  
Silence, as they had returned to the house, and they naturally made  
for where the one place they could relax together, to clean off the  
sweat glistening from their encounter with the hunter and not fight  
over their common passion…  
  
She was the one to strip first and, for once not bothering with her  
towel, slide her fair body gently into the warm waters, feeling  
soothing heat strip the fatigue from her earlier exertions, and closed  
her eyes as her long tresses floated upon the clear, half steaming  
surface of the pool.  
  
Ryoko watched as Aeka heaved a sigh of contentment, before  
submerging her entire form under water.  
  
Grr… come on you stupid wound, quit bleeding!  
  
She mentally chided the weal under her right breast, pressing her  
her cloth hard to it. Being a space pirate, much as she was cavalier  
about orthodox concerns she *did* mind bathing in water gradually  
staining red with blood.  
  
Ouch… She winced as she pressed a little too hard. Damn it… damn  
Nagi.  
  
Aeka watched from the water, relaxing herself as she watched  
Ryoko wait it out. Unlike in the past, when she would have just  
asked the question outright, something told her to stay silent, that  
this was not the time. Indeed, she could feel acutely the space  
pirate's tension and puzzlement. They were not unlike her own, but  
somehow in the bath her own emotions felt less… volatile, less  
resurgent and forceful. They did not cloud her mind, nor get in the  
way of her will to finally have a good heart-to-heart talk with this  
'monster woman' she had known for so long now. But as she was  
being abnormally perceptive, she was aware that while Ryoko was  
at least equally eager to sort things out, there was a frustration and  
anger, as well as feeling of helpless vulnerability, about the space  
pirate.  
  
Aeka blinked in sudden surprise…  
  
When did I last think so clearly?   
  
This state of being at once emotionally sensitive while mentally  
evaluative had eluded her for such a very long time, it seemed  
almost alien now. Only once or twice, when Sasami was very  
upset… even in those cases it had been more of an emotional  
response rather than a conscious thought.  
  
This is so strange… how could I have known Ryoko for so long,  
and never *once* tried to feel for her, tried to know her or  
understand why she did what she did?  
  
She shook her head, chastising herself.  
  
How could I have ever had the temerity to think I *am* a great and  
intelligent princess…?  
  
Ryoko, finally satisfied her wound, if not completely closed, had at  
least stopped bleeding sufficiently, almost impatiently divested  
herself of her slightly bloodied dress and threw herself into the pool.  
  
Woohoo! The space pirate thought as she torpedoed in, but for  
some reason, she didn't actually whoop outright. Only the sound of  
the splash of the water broke the silence of the ripples Aeka had left  
in her wake in the water.  
  
The princess frowned in mild irritation as the water droplets  
splashed up about her. Ryoko's face emerged from near the centre  
of the pool, looking awfully delighted as she felt the bath wash away  
her cares and wounds, both mental and physical, and her pressing,  
almost urgent questions were pushed to the back of her mind as  
her body exulted in the pleasant sensations of the lukewarm  
waters…  
  
Ah… it *is* good to be alive!  
  
Almost immediately the thought turned her to Nagi and from there to  
her current concern, her preoccupation to sort things out with her  
rival. Turning back, Ryoko stared right into Aeka's face.  
  
"You too?" She asked. Aeka didn't normally encroach on Ryoko's  
space, and the two generally kept a healthy distance from each  
other… not to mention that Aeka usually kept a little something  
wrapped around herself.   
  
Aeka nodded. "We have to talk, Ryoko."  
  
"This is not just about Nagi and Tenchi, is it?"  
  
"No, it isn't." Aeka answered solemnly. "Though that would be a  
good place to start."  
  
Ryoko nodded, and took up the issue she felt was most relevant.  
"Why did you save me from Nagi?" There was a bitter taste in her  
mouth as she acknowledged it.  
  
I owe her…  
  
It was not a feeling Ryoko relished, even more so when the person  
concerned was Aeka.   
  
Well, there could be worse people to be indebted to…  
  
But I'd much rather *not* be indebted to anybody! I am Ryoko! *I*  
have ploughed the seas of stars for countless years, plundering the  
galactic spaceways, while *she* has probably been stuffed up in  
some palace somewhere, complaining over how cold her tea is…  
  
"Ryoko?" Aeka waved a hand in front of the space pirate's  
semi-disgusted and despairing face. "Did you hear me?"  
  
"Huh? Uh no, I don't think I did."  
  
"To be honest, Ryoko, I'd like to think it was some form of  
repayment for you taking Tenchi to Jurai." Her voice sounded odd,  
strangely vulnerable, but Ryoko missed it.  
  
"Yeah." She paused for a moment, as the pain came rushing back…  
her body torn and dying, her spirit tormented and despairing,  
darkness all around, shattered only by the lethal beams the  
Juraians were firing… "That hurt…*bad*." There was something  
very lost and lonely about Ryoko at that moment, as though she  
were surrounded by a great void.  
  
Something stirred in Aeka, something she still was denying, trying  
to pin down until she could identify it, but it wriggled out of her  
grasp and she blurted out, almost without thinking. "Don't worry, at  
least you're here with us now." Her purple eyes widened.  
  
That couldn't have been me saying that, could it!?  
  
Ryoko started, staring in bewilderment at Aeka, who looked no less  
surprised. "What was that you said!?" She exclaimed. If she didn't  
know better she'd have sworn it was Sasami speaking, the  
statement was the likes of which could only come from the little  
princess.  
  
Aeka blinked, the impression sinking into her too.  
  
Sheesh… I guess I am my sister's sister after all…   
  
Wait a minute that thought doesn't make sense! I'm the older one!  
  
Ryoko's eyebrows knitted together. "I don't need your *pity*,  
princess." She growled suddenly, and Aeka was taken aback by the  
sudden change in her disposition. "On the Comet, repayment, fine.  
But, this time? What was that for?"  
  
Aeka desperately tried to recover her wits. "I…" then the words  
came out in a rushing stream, almost garbled. "…did it for lord  
Tenchi!" The defensiveness was very clearly heard.  
  
"Don't play the saint with me, princess." Ryoko snarled. "You and I  
both know better, when it comes to Tenchi, you're the same pirate I  
am."  
  
The princess was stunned for a moment, not knowing what to say.  
A year ago she would have shrieked at Ryoko for daring to compare  
them and a fight would have ensued, but that was not so now,  
where they were trying to communicate. For a moment something  
told her that what she had just said was what she'd like to believe  
was the entire reason, but it wasn't, then she managed to shove the  
thought away before it left an impression strong enough to be acted  
upon.  
  
"Then you, Ryoko, why did you bring Tenchi to Jurai?" She  
retorted.  
  
"He… asked me to." Ryoko's voice sank to a low whisper, the pain  
and anger at Tenchi's plea coming back to hit her hard.  
  
"Well, if anything happened to me now would you try to help me?"  
Aeka probed. "Or would you sit back and watch me die?"  
  
"I'd save you, princess." Ryoko answered from between clenched  
teeth. "Especially because I *owe* you."  
  
Aeka felt herself buckle in frustration, it was like trying to see  
through a brick wall! "Well, then. I think I've made my point." She  
frowned, her irritation showing through, then dipped her head  
under the water, leaving her purple tresses floating on top like some  
kind of marker.  
  
Something in Ryoko cried, 'Hang on, something is missing, it wasn't  
supposed to go this way!' but she snorted and vanished to appear  
under the fountain at the far end of the room, and lay there in the air  
above the water to let the warm water cascade over her in all her  
bared magnificence.  
  
Several silent minutes passed, and gradually their emotions died  
down amidst the soothing caress of lukewarm water. Aeka surfaced  
once again, looking back at the naked figure at the other end of the  
room, wanting to try again, but then she sighed wearily, and turned  
away, closing her eyes wearily.  
  
Well, I tried.  
  
Just as she opened her eyes, Ryoko appeared on the edge of the  
pool she was facing.  
  
"Well, princess?" She was slightly more solemn now, serious but at  
the same time more serene, it seemed, although there was a touch  
of uncertainty about her voice. "Want to try again?"  
  
Aeka pursed her lips, to hide the fact that she was taken aback, and  
also to try to take stock of the situation, as Ryoko slid off the edge  
and into the pool, golden eyes never leaving her form for an instant.  
"Okay. Again."  
  
"Fair enough." The space pirate commented. "After all, *you* were  
the one who…" The sentence stopped halfway, and Aeka was  
pleasantly surprised to note her expression became one of  
self-recrimination.  
  
Smart, congratulations, Ryoko applauded herself sarcastically.  
That's me all right, killing the discussion before it even starts.  
  
So she was rather astonished when Aeka nodded, looking a little  
guilty. "You're right Ryoko. I think I was hiding something." She  
admitted, then fell silent.  
  
Ryoko waited, and waited.   
  
Still silence.   
  
"*Well*!?" She finally couldn't stand the curiosity. "What is it?"  
  
"I… I don't know." Aeka murmured. "But… it's not just because of  
Tenchi."  
  
"Oh." Ryoko answered lamely, confused and unsure of what to say.  
She felt very small suddenly, as though she were a mouse that had  
been kissed by a cat. "You… don't hate me?"  
  
"No, not really, I guess." She raised her eyes to stare back into  
Ryoko's. "You?"  
  
The amber eyes swivelled around as she tried to sort out her  
thoughts, like a person searching about a chest of drawers for a  
little something he couldn't quite find and couldn't quite remember  
what it was. It was a while before she replied, softly. "No, I don't  
either."  
  
They sat back, absorbing and chewing on this new fact about each  
other.  
  
"When do you think it happened?" Aeka asked, finally.  
  
"I have no idea."   
  
As one, their minds rove back to the time they had arrived here.  
They had met on Earth, had hated one another, and almost  
instantaneously hated one another for loving Tenchi. From that it  
came to hating because of Tenchi, and because of one's actions,  
then … it was just that. The only reason they hated each other now  
was because of Tenchi and because of the others' actions.  
  
But they in meantime, they had also learnt to respect one another,  
and more recently, to fight alongside and cry alongside…  
  
And now that Tenchi had showed that he *could* and *would* love  
both of them, as long as they weren't upset by that…  
  
There was just no need to keep up this masquerade of animosity  
anymore.  
  
It seemed only one last barrier remained… could they love  
alongside? Without pushing and shoving?  
  
"Aeka?"  
  
The princess turned, hearing the sorrowful, quavering note in the  
word. "Yes, Ryoko?"  
  
"I… I'm sorry… about your present…" Her head was bowed.  
  
Aeka felt the hot rage and burning anger forcing up from within  
herself. She could see the doves… hear the tinkle of the smashing  
crystal… But her intelligence and control overcame the intense  
emotions, especially given the soothing nature of the bath, and she  
realised it was the *first* time Ryoko had ever apologised to her for  
anything… "It's over." She answered briefly, aching from the pain  
as she thought…  
  
"Tenchi would have loved it," Ryoko muttered.  
  
Even through her dampened mind, Aeka felt something rear in  
surprise as Ryoko said exactly what she thought. "You… you liked  
it too?"  
  
"Not at the time," Ryoko replied softly. "But I think Tenchi would  
have, after all looking back I have to admit they *were* rather  
pretty…"  
  
The princess didn't know what to say in reply.  
  
"Although I think it would have been better if you had added some  
louder music to it."  
  
Aeka licked her lips, feeling totally lost, then finally thought of  
returning the compliment. "Yours was very nice too. The box was  
splendid and the smell was nice."  
  
"Thanks, Aeka." She acknowledged the words with a slight nod.  
"You were more important to Tenchi though."  
  
Again Aeka was caught off balance. There could be no doubting the  
bitterness in the statement, but underlying it there was some kind of  
serene acceptance of that fact now, as though Ryoko thought that  
she should have known better than to think an object could  
outweigh a person in the eyes of someone like Tenchi. Quickly Aeka  
tried to recall what Sasami said, but she was getting confused, as  
though her mind was in a mist, and Ryoko's intention and  
disposition was getting difficult to perceive through the haze of  
conflicting emotions the conversation was drawing out.  
  
"Ryoko…" Aeka reached out, trying to ascertain something she  
suspected since the space pirate vocalised her thoughts. "When  
did you ever try to understand me?"  
  
"I… don't really know. That just sort of came out, it should have  
been obvious I guess, especially if I thought like Tenchi." She  
looked a little chagrined. "I guess I never really bothered with you  
before, princess."  
  
Okay, Aeka thought with a certain degree of relief. At least I know  
Ryoko is not that much more emphatic than me…  
  
She shuddered at a thought of an empire with a queen that was  
more ruthless and heartless than even a space pirate, or even  
worse, of being that icy queen.  
  
"Sasami helped me." Aeka mentioned. "She made me not hate  
you… by letting me see you."  
  
"Heh," Ryoko grinned toothily, her sobriety giving way for a  
moment to her usual self, like a ray of light from a clouded sky.  
"That's Sasami all right. What would we ever do without her?"  
  
"You know," Aeka added as an after thought. "I never did repay  
Kova for saving Sasami."  
  
"Princess, I think you needn't worry. He's probably having fun with  
Kiyone now."  
  
Aeka smiled somewhat at the thought. "You're a space pirate, what  
would he appreciate?"  
  
"Heh," Ryoko grinned. "Having more time Kiyone, especially at  
night."  
  
Aeka's smile suddenly died.  
  
"Hey, did I say something?" Ryoko asked.  
  
Aeka's face tilted away, and there was a slightly pinkish cast to it,  
but the sadness was poignant.  
  
"Oh, it's about *him*, huh?"  
  
"It's all very easy to try to sort things out this way, Ryoko." Aeka  
said. "But…"  
  
Ryoko seemed to wilt. "Yeah… I don't think I could live with that."  
  
For many more moments neither spoke, hoping and praying the  
other one could come up with a good solution, some compromise,  
but there was none.  
  
It was about a treasure neither of them wanted to share.  
  
"Well." Aeka finally muttered, gathering her breath about her.   
  
"So much for sorting things out, princess." Ryoko murmured. "Let's  
face it, we both agree about what we feel for him and he feels for us.  
But actually sharing is a different matter."  
  
"I don't think I could take the pain, Ryoko." Aeka murmured. "All my  
life, there has only been one - Tenchi."  
  
"Nor could I." Ryoko answered, then sighed. "I know you may not  
believe this, but it's the same for me." Her eyes became distant, as  
Aeka started in some kind of amazement. "There never has been,  
and never will be, another Tenchi."  
  
"You must have been very lonely." There was a pause. "Just like  
me."  
  
Ryoko stared at her, almost instinctively about to toss out a vibe  
about all the suitors Aeka had met, about having a council and a  
palace and everything, while she had only Ryo-oh-ki and the  
endless space around her, but then she realised she couldn't.  
  
She *is* like me. All the royal courtiers and dignitaries and  
formalities and shallow suitors… she never really had anyone to  
really share herself with, except maybe Sasami in a way.  
  
The understanding that the qualities they felt that made them feel  
they deserve Tenchi over the other were in fact shared by both of  
them was disquieting, somehow, for both of them.  
  
"I guess that's all for now, huh?" Ryoko decided she didn't want to  
learn more, at least for now. It was like an entirely new vista for her,  
seeing through Aeka's point of view, as though she had fallen  
through desert sands to emerge into an icy arctic waste and trying  
to forge ahead towards the distant light that just might be a cabin…  
  
"Yeah, I guess so."  
  
The two ladies continued soaking.  
  
"Do you think it helped?" Aeka asked.  
  
"Maybe. Maybe not." Ryoko pursed her lips in thought. "I don't  
know."  
  
"So how will we know if it helped?"  
  
Their eyes met once again, and like sisters, some kind of  
understanding passed between them so they didn't have to speak.  
  
Tenchi will know.  
  
====================================  
  
She reached forward, pushing open the door to her apartment, and  
as she was about to enter, her eyes just managed to discern in the  
dim light several glistening drops of water upon the ground…  
  
He's been here!  
  
Straining her eyes wearily to see try to make out the trail, she was  
acutely aware that Seion had stopped for a while at a convenience  
store to buy a bottle of beer while Mitsuki was just two steps behind  
herself…  
  
Quickly Kiyone stepped into the room, taking care to walk her  
dripping self directly over the wet spots, and mentally heave a sigh  
of relief that the water marks did not lead from the main door all the  
way over to the window, but rather just two steps to the side at the  
wall where the door to Tenchi's house was.   
  
He must have just appeared inside this room… but what does this  
mean? He wouldn't be stupid enough to leave a trail for us to follow,  
would he?  
  
No… the trail is for me alone to take up…  
  
"Taking a bath, Kiyone?" Mitsuki stepped in behind her, not  
detecting anything in the least untoward. "Ah well, must remind  
myself, shabby-like…" Her eyes took stock of Kiyone's apartment  
once again. "Not that I have that much of a choice."  
  
"You can go first." Kiyone replied, mentally grinning as she thought  
what a splendid time she was going to have in the bath in Tenchi's  
place as compared to Mitsuki, especially if the redhead thought all  
she had at her disposal was this apartment's shower… "I have to try  
to get to Washu first…" She walked over the phone in her  
apartment, knowing full well they had been cut off.  
  
"Well, suit yourself." Mitsuki shrugged, not wanting to question  
further as she thought the outcome was to her advantage as she  
got to go first. "Too bad I don't have a spare set of clothing around  
but at least I'm all dry… heh 231 will have to have put on his sloppy  
suit again… and that will just too bad for him, won't it?"   
  
Kiyone watched, half in irritation and half in relief as her annoying  
colleague went into the apartment bathroom. Picking for herself a  
change of clothes, she quickly rapped on the wall and stepped  
through…  
  
On the other side, the wet trail continued along the second level of  
the Masaki household.  
  
Yeah I think he meant it for me all right…  
  
She shuddered to think what might have happened if Seion had  
came here first, and moved along past the door to women's bath  
and Tenchi's room to reach Mihoshi's room where the trail stopped.  
Tentatively she pushed it open…  
  
Somehow, framed in the doorway like that, Kiyone wasn't at all  
surprised to see the room was perfectly empty, except for the bed  
where Mihoshi lay and the odd furnishings here and there, all more  
or less bearing some mark of Mihoshi's ditziness from spill stains to  
a cracked lampshade…  
  
"Come on, come on out, wherever you are." She muttered. There  
was no response, and her eyes quickly saw there were no wet  
marks anywhere on the floor of the room. Looking about warily, she  
had just stepped forward when a droplet of water landed on her  
shoulder…  
  
"Gotcha!"  
  
====================================  
  
Seion entered the apartment, and felt his blood run cold for a  
moment as he spotted neither Kiyone nor Mihoshi in sight.  
  
Oh no, he must have gotten to them…  
  
Come on, that's ridiculous…  
  
Shaking his head, Seion tried to think coherently without being  
paranoid, and just managed to make out sounds of someone  
cursing from behind a door in the room. Almost inadvertantly, he  
smiled to himself at Mitsuki's discomfiture…  
  
So he couldn't have came here or Mitsuki would have been taken  
too.   
  
The wet trail glistened in the dim light…  
  
They must be at this Tenchi fellow's place.  
  
Closing the door behind him, and taking another swig from the  
bottle he had, he felt the rivulets of beer run down his throat, before  
turning his attention to the wall from which the Mihoshi he had  
beheld for the first time had emerged.  
  
Let's see, how do you open this?  
  
His fingers ran along the wall, searching for a mark or something, a  
handle, an indication. There was nothing. Frowning in irritation, he  
took another swig and searched more carefully… some kind of  
control panel, button, hidden ledge… but still nothing.  
  
Oh god… not another blasted miserable night within earshot of that  
Mitsuki…  
  
He could almost have screamed in frustration. Now that he was  
finally here on Earth, having introduced himself to the girl he had  
been dying to meet and to her partner whom he almost died when  
he met ( ^_^ ), he was going to be separated from them by a secret  
door!?  
  
Hell, no way!  
  
He steeled his energies and focused his mind once more. A careful,  
meticulous scrutiny… still nothing…  
  
GAAAH!  
  
Seion let out a series of oaths as Mitsuki from somewhere inside the  
apartment let out her own string of expletives. Out of frustration, the  
Operative hit the wall with his fist.  
  
And almost fell over in surprise as the door materialised. Blinking to  
himself in astonishment, he mentally chided himself before opening  
the door and stepping through. It faded out of existence behind him,  
as a vehemently cursing Mitsuki emerged from the bathroom of the  
apartment, only to look around in surprise.  
  
Hey, where's everyone?  
  
====================================  
  
Kiyone spun around, her blaster halfway up, but the figure that had  
been perched directly above the door was already in midair, having  
already launched itself straight at her. She briefly glimpsed a flash of  
dark blue hair, a Cheshire grin, and two shining orbs of azure that  
twinkled with mischief an instant before his wet form collided into  
hers. One arm wrapped around her shoulders, the other behind her  
head, as his legs went around and hooked her knees from behind  
as the two of them tumbled together onto the ground as the clothes  
in her hand were sent flying.  
  
Kiyone managed to keep her head screwed on. "Kova-chan!!" She  
cried, although whether in perturbance or in pleasure she wasn't  
really sure herself.  
  
"Did someone call me?" He chuckled from atop her, and she felt her  
pulse race as she realised he was straddling her with his legs about  
her waist, before bending his head down and then lightly brushing  
his lips over her cheeks.  
  
For a moment Kiyone felt a part of herself disappointed…  
  
Not that I would have let him anyway! She reminded herself. She  
had been deliberately trying to avoid thinking about it, but at this  
moment it all came back to her now, and along with it, the emotions  
of fear and apprehension that had so tortured her during the ordeal.  
  
"Look, Kova-chan," she answered, her voice deliberately cold. "We  
have to talk."  
  
His brows knitted in consternation. "Why? I thought, between the  
two of us, it would be enough…"  
  
"It *wasn't*." She retorted. "Not to me at least. Now get off me."  
  
Kova sprang backwards and away, but somehow contrived to make  
his rapid movements seem reluctant… in the dark room, his face  
was an odd mixture of disappointment, sorrow and irritation, as he  
watched her get to her feet. "Did I hurt you very much?"  
  
"Yes you did." Kiyone replied tersely.  
  
"Feeling better now?" Somehow he managed to express a bit of  
reprove in his concerned statement for her. "Inside?"  
  
"Yeah, you'd know it hurt me worse there…"  
  
"Frankly, Kiyone-chan…" he answered, his voice a little uncertain. "I  
didn't." He rubbed his right cheeks, jaw, and lower back, which  
were still hurting. "It's just that you sounded like it had."  
  
Kiyone sighed. "Look, I know I hit you too, but I'm sure it's as usual  
all right for you, and besides, it was all just staged, right?"  
  
"Of course I know that." He replied, coolly. "What I don't understand  
is, why can't *you* take it that way?"  
  
"I…"  
  
"I'll be perfectly honest, I *never* for a moment doubted you. My  
pains are solely of the flesh…" Here his voice became a shade sad.  
"Up until now…"  
  
Kiyone felt her temper catch for what seemed the hundredth time  
that night… "*Easy* for you to say!" She snarled back. "You're not  
the …" As if in direct contrast and opposition to her partner's  
disposition, Mihoshi let out a particularly loud snore at that point.   
  
Kiyone turned to stare angrily at the slumbering figure in  
annoyance, which promptly sneezed once in her sleep. "Uh… bless  
you…" Mihoshi murmured to herself, turned around and sighed  
contentedly before settling again.   
  
Kova took one look at Kiyone's face, which was twitching nervously  
as gales of outrage swept across it, somehow seeming at the same  
time green with envy and jealousy as well as being close to  
despairing, and would have burst out laughing if he hadn't known it  
would be suicidal to do so at this point.   
  
Kiyone's face contorted for a split second into a mask of savagery.  
  
God help me Mihoshi I *WILL* kill you!!!  
  
For a moment Kiyone thought she was going to burst from the  
pressure of the pent up emotions inside. Emotions from the tiff in  
the morning to the report in the late afternoon, from the surprise at  
the bar to meeting a commanding officer who seemed to be wanting  
to woo her, from the making up with Kova to actually fighting  
against him, then all this… there was just too much emotional  
stress, and besides she hadn't slept very much at all for the past  
few days and…  
  
The dimly lit room started to spin as Kiyone felt her vertigo  
disintegrate, and had barely enough time to put a hand against the  
wall to steady herself.  
  
She felt his hands hold her shoulders, helping her stay upright too,  
and looked up into worried, concerned azure eyes. For a moment  
she and Kova stared at each other, not speaking, then he gently  
hugged her, and she closed her eyes in restful bliss as she let his  
proximity, his care and touch comfort her, drawing strength from  
the knowledge that he would always be there for her.  
  
They were glad then, that there was something more restful and  
less raw in the almost platonic relationship they shared, not having  
to worry about the rough and tumble that might draw out more of  
one's energy, but generally knowing they needed only each other's  
companionship and presence to bask idly in the light of their love.  
There was not the compunction to lose one's own problems in  
love-making, but to just draw strength from being in love and with  
one's love.  
  
Although it seemed too brief, Kiyone was feeling more her normal  
self when there was a soft knock on the door.  
  
What the…!?  
  
"Kiyone?" Seion's voice came from the other side. "May I come in?"  
  
Almost instantly Kova had vanished under Mihoshi's bed.   
  
She might feel better now, but she probably has got more to say…  
  
He shuddered at what he'd face if she decided she *didn't* want to  
forgive him.  
  
"Sure…" Kiyone murmured uncertainly.  
  
Slowly, almost reservedly, the door opened. Seion was surprised  
with himself, as a part of him that was less inebriated noted his  
actions, and he stepped in, taking care to leave the bottle outside  
the room. Unlike Kova before he met Kiyone, Seion had been in a  
lady's room before, and generally while he did enter such room with  
the certainty of approval, it was usually through less than explicit  
asking of permission.  
  
There was something about Kiyone, that demanded more from  
him… and in fact if this were Mihoshi's room, he would be equally  
careful about it too…  
  
"Uh, Kiyone, I…" He suddenly stopped in mid sentence and stared,  
mouth hanging open.  
  
Kiyone peered curiously at him, before following the path his eyes  
took to the figure on the bed, and smiled to herself, the distaste and  
anger induced by his interrupting her private moment with Kova  
fading away in the light of his comical appearance.  
  
The necessary connections were finally made in Seion's mind…  
  
Oh man… this really *IS* Mihoshi's room…  
  
Kiyone chose to keep quiet, grinning inside and mentally wondered  
how long it would be before the Operative, slightly over half a foot  
taller than her, would take to start gibbering.  
  
Kova, on the other hand was in a state of extreme agitation… surely  
Kiyone couldn't be…!? Slowly and cautiously he extended a hand  
out slowly from under the bed, taking care to keep it in the shadow,  
using the reflective surface of the silver armlet to see what went on  
outside, and was relieved to note Seion was standing where he  
was, in the doorway.  
  
"Mihoshi?" The Operative finally managed.  
  
Kiyone nodded, and decided to talk as she realised his eyes were  
riveted onto Mihoshi and not noticing in the least at her action.  
"Yeah."  
  
"Oh." Seion seemed semi-dazed. "I thought since you were here it  
would be your room."  
  
"No, Mihoshi and I usually sleep in our apartment. She sleeps in this  
room when she stays over at Tenchi's place."  
  
Seion blinked once, then again. "She… stays over Tenchi's place?"  
The disappointment was painfully obvious in his voice.  
  
"Yeah, why not?" Kiyone laughed, amused. "We often drop by here,  
especially to enjoy ourselves."  
  
Seion's face fell even further.  
  
Despite knowing he was quite possibly one of the main  
obstructions between her and Kova, at least in this time and place,  
as well as the high likelihood of encouraging him if he were trying to  
get close to her, the look of pain was so poignantly visible on his  
face Kiyone's heart went out to him and she simply had to alleviate  
it in some way. "Don't worry, we're just friends here, that's all."  
  
Seion finally took his eyes off Mihoshi to stare at Kiyone. She  
thought he was going to say something like "Are you sure?" or  
"Maybe…" But there was no such questioning. His gaze met hers,  
and she had a sudden feeling she was reading him just as he was  
reading her, and the two of them suddenly had a glimpse of the  
other person…  
  
He loves me… There could be no doubting the expression of  
tenderness and appreciative happiness he bore her as he realised  
her intentions, and the sincerity it reflected from her eyes told her he  
would not doubt what she said in the very least…  
  
But then what does he want with Mihoshi!?  
  
The connection broke, as Seion nodded his head in affirmation of  
her point, and Kiyone tried desperately to seize again at what she  
had just caught a glimpse of…  
  
If he loves me, but looks at Mihoshi that way, can it be that he loves  
her too? But he doesn't look at me that way… so he must *lust* after  
her!? And what kind of person does that make him?  
  
Although in general Kiyone would easily accept the verdict that all  
men, with the exception of Tenchi, and more recently of Kova, were  
steeped in lust, she realised, with a certain amount of chagrin, that  
she did *not* want to believe that of Seion…  
  
Could it be…!? Am I falling for him too!? She asked herself, the  
thought sending multitudes of chilling fear spiking through her. No  
it can't be… I love Kova-chan…  
  
Vividly the words came back to her…  
  
'The two of you could make a *perfect* team, unlike us, one in  
darkness and the other in light.'  
  
'I'm *sure* he will take care of you…'  
  
But then her own words came back too, and she heard herself  
clearly within her mind.  
  
'I will walk with you, Kova-chan. Whatever the roads, whether in  
darkness or in light, we shall walk them together.'  
  
Then she realised something else… somehow, in some indefinable  
way, the love she thought she sensed Seion felt for her was  
different from Kova's, like of a different quality and texture…  
  
"Kiyone?" As Seion took a step forward into the room, Kiyone  
snapped out her thoughts, and almost instinctively took a step  
back.   
  
"Yes, sir?" She asked, wrinkling her nose in slight distaste as she  
smelled the faint reek of alcohol exuding from him.  
  
"Wanna talk?" He asked, sounding a little uncertain.  
  
"What about?" She let a tinge of suspicion creep into her voice.  
  
Seion winced slightly. "About just now… you know…"  
  
"No I don't, *sir*."  
  
"Please…" Seion licked his lips, his voice pleading. "Just Seion."  
He took a deep breath, his expression downcast. "Please, Kiyone."  
  
Somehow, seeing him in pain and bowed before her, awoke in her a  
feeling that there was something wrong, that this was not the way  
things were meant to be. The chink in her armour widened as she  
gave in. "Very well, Seion."  
  
The Operative looked up, staring at the sudden transformation in  
her tone of voice. "Kiyone?" Was it his imagination, or did he really  
hear the slight delight in her voice as she spoke?  
  
"What was it you wanted to talk about?" Kiyone smiled slightly to  
see his surprise. "Seion?"  
  
For a moment 231 felt himself lost in confusion at the rapid change,  
then his face flushed with pleasure. "Oh… nothing much!" He  
grinned sheepishly, dismissively waving his hand. "Nothing much,  
just about back at the river…"  
  
Kova felt his blood run hot and cold with jealousy and fear, recalling  
seeing Kiyone dive into the river… to rescue Seion!?  
  
"What about it?" Kiyone asked, sounding a little curious, and now  
there could be no doubt her voice was no longer cold and neutral,  
but had a touch of pleasure about it.  
  
Seion breathed in. "You know, about our assignment?"  
  
Kiyone's brows furrowed and her face fell. "And…?"  
  
"Kiyone, look." Seion's tone became serious again, losing its  
lightheartedness as he felt her withdraw once again. "He's frigging  
dangerous, to try to parley is just stupid…"  
  
"No! He…"  
  
"*Listen* to me." Seion breathed, his emphasis coming out  
emotionally. "I've fought him. He's got a warrior's honour, and I'll  
swear he's the *best* rat bastard in fighting I've ever crossed, but  
let's face it, he's just one of them crooks, and when it comes down  
to crunch, they ain't gonna want nothing standing in the way of their  
survival."  
  
"You don't seem to understand." Her eyes had narrowed on Seion  
already. "For one thing, I have been a detective for at least as long  
as you have. For another, I was doing just fine up until the time you  
and Mitsuki showed up."  
  
"I'm Seion, not Operative 231 and frankly I'd rather die than see you  
hurt or killed. Anyway what terms do you talk to him of?" He asked.  
"Do you know he is marked for *death*?  
  
There was stony silence.  
  
"Kiyone?"  
  
"Marked for death… marked for death…" Her words were almost  
inaudible, like the descent of an icicle into a pool of frigid water.  
"He's *not* marked for death." Her eyes, glazed over from a moment  
ago, lighted up in passion. "I *won't* accept that, I *won't* believe  
that."  
  
"Let's face it, he probably knows all this crap as well as I do. We  
want to get him to execute him, the Syndicate wants to kill him, his  
ass is also branded by Jurai… hell the whole universe is just waiting  
to cut his guts out, your terms mean nothing to him…" Seion  
pointed out. "He's just playing you, and when the time comes he'd  
slit your throat without a second thought."  
  
"That's a *lie*." She announced in a flat tone that cracked and  
trembled, reverberating softly in the room. Though slightly  
inebriated, Seion raised an eyebrow as an uneasy thought occured  
to him, and remembering herself, Kiyone quickly banished her  
emotions to search desperately in her mind for something to fall  
back onto. "Look, we have been taught to try to resolve situations  
as peaceably as possible, right?"  
  
"I haven't. For us 'close range pacifiers' in the SpecOps we just get  
the job done a-okay like shit quick." Seion added pointedly.  
"Kiyone, I *won't* lose you now, not after finally finding you."  
  
You dare presume just because I called you by your name you  
*have* me!?  
  
Yet her wrath was silenced in the light of his strange tone…  
  
No that is not what he meant… he has been searching… for me. He  
has found me, that is all…  
  
There was a tense silence, before Kiyone finally replied. "I  
appreciate your concern, but I will *not* promise anything, except  
that I will think about it."  
  
"But…" Seion seemed to rear in dissatisfaction, and he was about  
to try again when he suddenly realised he was up against an iron  
will at least as hardened and as steeled as his own. He swallowed  
the statement back down his throat, fighting the impulse to try to  
ram his message home harder. Just as Kiyone just did, he fought  
down his most likely response. "Fine, then. Think about it." His  
voice became stoic and hardened. "I can only pray."  
  
"Pray, then." Kiyone replied coldly, deliberately turning to look at  
Mihoshi.  
  
Seion stood for a moment, acutely aware that she considered this  
conversation concluded, but still watched her carefully. "What's she  
like, Kiyone?"  
  
Kiyone turned around, giving Seion a look that seemed to say  
'What, still here?'  
  
His gaze was steely, but at the same time they pleaded with her… as  
though he had a task not yet accomplished, and would desire but a  
little more time… "Mihoshi."  
  
She sighed, deciding to relent. "She's just my partner, and has been  
my partner for a long, long time." Sometimes it seemed like an  
eternity of goof-ups and botched arrests one after another. "She's  
nice, though." She added, almost to herself.  
  
"More than a partner, I think." Seion murmured. Kiyone knitted her  
brows in surprise, as she thought she detected what she sensed  
was the slightest tinge of jealousy, but whether directed at herself or  
Mihoshi, she couldn't tell. "She said you took care of her, Kiyone."  
He remembered how Mihoshi had obstinately insisted Kiyone would  
not like it if Seion and Mitsuki went after her. "Did she take care of  
you too?"  
  
For some inexplicable reason, Kiyone suddenly thought of Mitsuki.  
"I think so." There was something there, something in the image of  
the redhead she couldn't quite grasp. Then it faded and she  
remembered asking Mihoshi whether to give up Kova or her job on  
board the Yagami… "Yes." She swallowed slightly, recalling the  
blast that had severed Terminus' wrist. "She certainly did."  
  
Seion nodded, his face lined with regret. "Do you think I…" For a  
moment he seemed to want to add something else, but he cut  
himself off. "…Mihoshi knows you very well?"  
  
Kiyone turned back to stare queerly at him again. "What ever made  
you think that?"  
  
"Before we left your place, Mihoshi said you'd be fine, and you  
wouldn't like us to go." Seion paused, letting the message sink in,  
and watched as the lady turned back to look upon the slumbering  
figure again, half in respect and half in worry. "Was she right? Did I  
do wrong?"  
  
"I… I can't say." Kiyone quickly shut her feelings off again, not  
daring to risk letting something slip as she almost did earlier. The  
physical sensations returned to her, of the wet cloth sticking to her  
skin, of the cold, and she was suddenly reminded of the person that  
was waiting under the bed… "I think I'm going to bathe now, Seion."  
She suddenly declared.  
  
The operative opened his mouth to protest, but before she  
continued before he did.  
  
"See you back at the apartment." Stepping quickly past him, she  
slid the door open and gestured out. "This way, please."  
  
"Wha… what did I say!?" Seion tried, his face full of hurt surprise  
like that of a dog that has been kicked for no apparent reason.  
"What did I say wrong? Where did I go wrong, what did I do?"  
  
"Nothing wrong," Kiyone replied earnestly. "Except that both you  
and I are still dripping. We might talk later, but not now."  
  
"Okay, fine. Later then." He reluctantly stepped out the door, and  
Kiyone was about to slide it shut with relief when he suddenly  
turned around again. "Good night, Kiyone. For now, at least."  
  
"Good night, Seion." She said a little too hurriedly, as she smelt his  
alcoholic breath, before hurriedly sliding the door shut with a sigh  
of relief, then leaning on it, eyes closed.  
  
Only after several seconds had passed did she realise he ought to  
have said something by now.  
  
"Kova-chan?" She asked, opening her eyes.  
  
"Here." And indeed he was, sitting against the wall opposite the bed  
perpendicularly to her direction, his legs stretched lazily before him,  
his hair glistening wet in the dim light as he shifted slightly. "Take a  
while more to catch your breath."  
  
Kiyone breathed in deeply, sensing the nature of what he was about  
to say, that he was keeping silent to let her recollect her composure,  
rather than submitting her to yet another successive wave of  
turmoil. After several deep inhalations, trying to relieve the tension  
and forget his apparent grim displeasure, Kiyone finally decided she  
was sufficiently herself. "All right, what do you want to say?"  
  
"He's right, you know." He whispered. "I *am* marked for death, and  
I know it." It seemed a darkness blacker than the shadows about the  
room had settled over the man who had so playfully leaped onto her  
as she entered the room. "So should you."  
  
Silence once again.  
  
"He's a way out." Kova whispered again. "All you need to do is say  
the word." His heart was burning inside him, eating away at his  
insides, he would have shook for the pain but that he wished not to  
let Kiyone know his distress. "He loves you, I saw that much."  
  
"Kova-chan. I *told* you already, I will *always* love you…"  
  
"Why do you say that?" His voice sounded chill and cold, this time  
the anger seeping back in through it showing more plainly than  
ever. "You dived in after him to save him, didn't you?" His lips  
curled up into a derisive sneer. "Just now… you needn't have  
invited him in. Speaking his name made you happy, didn't it?" He  
became almost caustic again. "I could hear it in your words."  
  
"Yes, I did," Kiyone replied, feeling her own anger stir within her, her  
words crescendoing. "Yes I did, as I also *lied* to *him* about *you*,  
as I nearly lost my temper at *him* over *you*, as I ordered *him* out  
because of *you*." The volume was rising gradually with her  
temper. "Does that help you *understand* how much I love you!?"  
  
"It might be that…" He acknowledged, his voice still infuriatingly  
soft. "Or it might just be a gradual transition. If I were not trying for  
the light given my skills I will live on, for a very long time." He spoke  
in an unnatural calm, like a man who had gone out beyond the brink  
of insanity. "A snowflake on the ground will remain in its form for a  
long time, but to try to hold it in your hand means it will melt. What  
miracle it takes to preserve it in one's hand, is what we are hoping  
for." He smiled that sad melancholic smile of his again. "He's your  
way out of this dilemma. Just say the word, and we'll both no longer  
have to worry about bringing shadows into light. It will be easier for  
me too, and you *know* I won't grudge you your choice."  
  
"NO." The word was set hard into the air like iron cast of  
determination she had placed on her face. "I will *NEVER* do that."  
  
"You know what I want?" Kova growled. "If you will stop loving me  
for him, I want, I *demand*, to know *now*. I see you care for him…"  
His tone caught in the green light of the jealous fire blazing within  
him, as he stood up, like a menacing beast unfolding itself. "How  
long more before *I* am cast aside like a dangerous toy? I don't  
even propose to flee from you or Seion, you can take me back to the  
GP or the SSS for all I care, all I ask is that I am informed *now*." His  
eyes burned chill flames in the darkness. "End it. End this pain and  
uncertainty. Tell me the truth that will slay my humanity and release  
me from this abhorrent stasis of hope."  
  
Kiyone felt her heart reel from the pain. "Well, the *truth* is that I love  
you and *ONLY* you, Kova-chan! What do you want me to do if you  
won't believe it?" She stared at him, her gaze full of fury. "Rip my  
heart out and show it to you?"  
  
Kova's stony expression seem to crack and disintegrate as her  
words tore his brave front to shreds. "No… it's just that maybe you  
might already love him and you just don't know it yet…"  
  
Almost swept away in the tumultuous gale, Kiyone for a moment  
nearly *wished* she could rip her own heart out just to show him,  
before she just managed to cling back onto rational thoughts.  
  
He's not really angry with me… he doesn't know how to handle it…  
he wants to try to reason things out…  
  
"You're frightened." The flatness and emptiness in her monotone  
astounded even Kiyone herself. "You're trying to run from your  
fear."  
  
Kova stared at her, too stunned for the moment to even  
comprehend the truth of it.  
  
"This thing here…" She tapped her left breast lightly. "…this heart  
of ours, is not subject to reason. If it were, I'd never have fallen you,  
nor you for me." She gently put her hands on his shoulders. "Don't  
try to reason it out, don't bother. It doesn't work that way." Kova felt  
himself being drawn towards her face. "It's not about what is easier,  
or which is more sensible." She kissed him lightly on the lips, and  
felt the customary closeness she always felt when their lips met.  
"There's just you, and me. We love each other, and that's how it  
works." Her right hand came up to gently caress his face, as she  
lost herself in his wide, staring but nevertheless grateful blue eyes,  
then her right hand cupped his chin and gently pulled his face  
closer, as the voice spoke on almost like it belonged to someone  
else. "I can believe you're insecure." Their lips met again, this time  
in a passionate kiss, and Kiyone felt the sweet thrill and fire course  
through her body. "This make it feel better?"  
  
Kova nodded, a little dumbly.  
  
"Or do you want more?" Her left hand wandered down, and some  
part of her mind finally awoke to a fact…  
  
I am losing *CONTROL*!  
  
But she couldn't halt her movement. Out of pure luck, however,  
Kova stepped back, his face lost in love and awe as he admired the  
fabulous treasure that had been bestowed on him, and a part of her  
cried out in consternation as her left hand brushed empty air before  
her hip, but the other side breathed in relief.  
  
"Kiyone…" His voice trembled as tears blurred his vision. "Thank  
you…"   
  
"It's okay." She nodded, putting a hand lightly on his arm. "I  
understand… maybe next time you shouldn't think so hard about  
it…"  
  
"I'll try, Kiyone," he murmured. "It's not easy but I'll try."  
  
"That's good enough for me." She smiled, trying to guide their  
thoughts off the sober subject. "How about a bath? We're both wet  
still, you know."  
  
He perked up, his eyes shining with glee. "Together?"  
  
"Kova-chan!" She cried, and playfully punched him on his right  
shoulder.  
  
====================================  
  
Some while ago…  
  
Mitsuki returned to the apartment, a little upset and confused, two  
emotions she didn't care particularly much for experiencing. Kiyone  
and Mihoshi were nowhere to be found, and checking behind them  
231 wasn't at the convenience store either.   
  
Not that I actually care for any of them, of course.  
  
Her left shoulder blade gave a painful tweak at that point.  
  
Just that there's no way I can complete, or even survive, this  
assignment by myself.   
  
Her mood was in no way helped by her experience in the bathroom.  
  
"Detective?"  
  
Without even registering astonishment (yet), Mitsuki spun to face  
the source, whipping out her blaster as quickly as possible. There  
was a violet streak, then burning pain shot through her right wrist,  
already bruised from the encounter with Kova, and her weapon fell  
to the floor amidst a yelp of pain.  
  
The cool, throaty voice spoke again. "I don't usually leave both the  
hand and the weapon intact, but I'll make an exception for you."  
Mitsuki looked up from the wrist she clutched in her left hand, where  
the sleeve had melted away to reveal blistered flesh, only to see…  
  
"Nagi!" Even though she had never met the infamous bounty hunter  
before, her reputation was rather encompassing, especially in the  
light of last year's events concerning Jurai.  
  
"So you've heard of me," the cloaked figure standing in the middle  
of the apartment replied, finally turning to regard her with her icy  
blue eyes that seemed to gleam from within the shadowed darkness  
of her hood, as Mitsuki bent down to pick up the blaster. "Not a  
good idea." Mitsuki froze. "I'd prefer it if you forget about it while I'm  
here. I made an exception earlier because I rather suspect you'll  
need both hand and blaster in near future, but I might not be so  
generous a second time."  
  
Trying to maintain her dignity, Mitsuki stood up, slowly. "What do  
you want with me?"  
  
"You have a assignment, I believe?" Nagi smiled. "A Kova Kashiro,  
no?"  
  
"Yeah, so what?"  
  
"Well, I've had some difficulties locating him. I know he's on this  
planet but I haven't found him." With a flick of her wrist, Nagi sent  
something flying towards Mitsuki, and the detective instinctively  
caught it. It was a ring with a blue jewel set into it. "If you meet the  
man I'm looking for, just press this gemstone."  
  
Mitsuki stared at the object suspiciously. "Look, this don't make no  
sense. My assignment is to capture and apprehend him. Besides, I  
thought you bounty hunters usually act alone."  
  
"True… but this is the first time I've ever encountered this kind of  
bounty." Nagi mused, half smiling. "The figure goes down by a  
million Synereals every three days."  
  
Mitsuki eyes bulged open wider than two plates. "A MILLION  
Synereals!?"  
  
"Why yes. Any interest?" The ghostly shine of white teeth from a  
grin could be made out from under the shadow of the hood.  
  
"How… how… much is the bounty going for?"  
  
"Why would that interest you?" Nagi asked, her voice a little  
amused, as a queen speaking to an unworthy pawn. "Unless of  
course…"  
  
"How much is it, and what's in it for me?" Mitsuki did nothing to  
disguise the avarice in her voice. "What percentage?"  
  
"Well, the original bounty was put up for fifteen million Synereals,  
and goes down to fourteen come midnight two nights from now."  
The bounty hunter smirked. "The hunter gets to send ten percent  
commission to anyone he or she deems deserving. Tentatively it's  
your Section Chief for informing me of the prospect." Her voice  
became slightly warmer. "But who knows, it just *might* be you."  
  
Mitsuki stared blankly, thinking of the huge amount that might be  
hers, and in response to Nagi's words, she slipped the ring on.  
  
Nagi shook a finger. "Some information too, please, if you don't  
mind. Notably on his capabilities and how to find him."  
  
"Well, I don't know where to find him, only Kiyone assured me and  
231 that he would stay on Earth. I think if anyone knows how to find  
him she does."  
  
The hood nodded in assent. "Continue."  
  
"Well and…!!!!"  
  
Mitsuki started as the wall beside her shimmered and a door  
materialised upon its surface before sliding open.  
  
Seion's eyes widened, not seeing anything save the blur of violet  
that assaulted him. There was a smashing sound as the bottle of  
beer smashed onto the ground, and Nagi nodded approvingly as he  
bent down to use the tip of the trident, still on his back, to parry the  
lash to his face and neck, before grabbing it and swinging it around  
in a defensive arc. "Who in hell…!?" The teal and brown spun in a  
blur about Seion as violet sparks shot up.  
  
"And you are…?" Nagi asked, looking impressed at the man's  
instincts and skills, effectively neutralising her four consecutive  
blows with his Trident.  
  
"This, Nagi, is GP Operative 231." Mitsuki replied from outside the  
door, trying to maintain her composure. If she had stayed at her  
position in the doorway a moment longer than what she had, she  
would probably have been maimed by either weapon.  
  
"Nagi!?" Seion asked, eyes wide and halting his movements with  
the Trident as Nagi had ceased her attack, but he did not lower his  
guard.  
  
"So, a SpecOp. Your uniform?" Her eyes rove about Seion's form,  
appraising him. "A Torabushi warrior. I see the standards haven't  
been slipping." She noted the long midnight tattoo along Seion's  
exposed right arm. "My, tenth level already? Could it be that you're  
older than you look, Operative?"  
  
"I'm as old as I look." Seion replied, gritting his teeth. "And I'm into  
my fourteenth mastery. Now what the hell are you doing here,  
bounty hunter?"  
  
"Just looking for some information and cooperation, nothing  
much." Nagi mentioned casually, like she was perfectly at home  
where she was, despite facing a probably exceptionally skilled and  
belligerent young man, the latter characteristic possibly due to the  
fact she had tried to kill him just a moment earlier.   
  
Seion's eyes narrowed. From what he had heard of this person, she  
was the acme and pinnacle, practically a living legend, who  
embodied the traits of bounty hunting, and what he did know was  
that most bounty hunters weren't very open when it came to  
revealing their motivations. "Why are you telling me this?"  
  
"We hunt the same man, Operative."  
  
"I'm sorry, but it has always been GP policy never to deal with  
bounty hunters."  
  
"You might earn something out of it." Nagi muttered coolly. "It'd be  
a pleasure to award one as talented as yourself a true reflection of  
your worth."  
  
He snorted disdainfully. "I said I'm *not* interested."   
  
Nagi's eyes narrowed from the implied slight, but she masked her  
displeasure for now. "Remember, we're on the same side of the  
law."  
  
"Perhaps." Seion muttered. "Except you kill for money, while we  
apprehend for order."  
  
"I do it for the challenge, *boy*." Nagi answered. Mitsuki, sensing  
the tension between the two, took a step back, as Nagi appraised  
the man before her, who had set his jaw pugnaciously out at her in  
response to her slight.  
  
A warrior…a Torabushi, honourable… money wouldn't mean  
anything to him.   
  
Her eyes, invisible in her hood, swivelled to stare at Mitsuki.  
  
Besides, I have her already. As long as they stick to each other she  
will be as good as him, although assuredly unworthier… so be it,  
then.  
  
"I see I cannot sway you." Nagi replied. "Very well. We shall see  
who gets to our man first. Good hunting, detectives." Quite calmly,  
the cloaked personage walked to a window of the apartment, leaped  
out and vanished. Seion watched her point of exit for a while, hands  
still gripping the Trident handle tightly, before walking over to  
Mitsuki.  
  
"What did she ask you? What did you tell her?" He muttered, in  
suspicion.  
  
"Nothing." Mitsuki replied, sounding her usual self, before smiling.  
"I was merely trying to pick up some tips on tracking the criminal,  
that's all."  
  
Seion compressed his lips into a thin line of chagrined suspicion.  
"No deals made?"  
  
"You know…" Mitsuki smiled winningly, seeming almost  
ingratiatingly superior. "… I wouldn't do such a thing, *sir*."  
  
Operative 231's face descended further into a scowl of displeasure,  
but he knew nothing more would be forthcoming unless he  
threatened Mitsuki outright. "All right, what then?"  
  
Mitsuki looked at Seion, his wet clothes sticking to him, and  
remembered her experience in the apartment bath. "Do you happen  
to know where I could find another place to wash? The bathroom  
here doesn't seem to be working properly…"  
  
====================================  
  
Kova closed the door to Mihoshi's room behind him, and walked by  
Kiyone's side, his step customarily quick, light, soundless and  
seemingly unfettered by his emotions. He seemed to have  
recovered totally from the fit of jealousy and fear that had just  
assaulted him, and Kiyone still had to wonder at how quickly he  
bounced back from his emotional extremes.   
  
"Well, how long will you take?" he asked. "And where to meet?"  
  
"I don't know, maybe about twenty minutes?" Kiyone ventured, as  
they walked side by side down the corridor towards the bathroom  
door, her holding her change of clothes that he had helped her  
gather up from the floor. "How about at the shrine?"  
  
"Fine… though I'll be a little tight on finding some place to change  
up, I think I'll manage." He shook his head thoughtfully. "Where will  
you be sleeping tonight? With…" A touch of apprehension crept  
into his word. "…him?"  
  
Kiyone rolled her eyes in exasperation. "No, I'll probably sleep in  
Mihoshi's room. Mitsuki and Seion can sleep in my apartment." She  
smiled. "Unless you have other plans?"  
  
"We'll see," he nodded. "Depends on how we settle it."  
  
"Humph." She retorted sharply. "So long as *you* know there *is*  
something to be settled." Her right arm still hurt, as did her left  
forearm.  
  
As they reached in front of the bath, Kiyone's eyes widened as the  
door to her apartment materialised once again and was about to  
slide open… in the corridor there was no room to hide, short of  
bursting through the door into Tenchi's room on the other side.  
  
"Ohshit!" Almost without thinking, Kiyone quickly pulled the nearest  
door open. Kova's eyes widened for an instant before she shoved  
him in and slid the door shut behind her.  
  
Whew… she thought, as exactly the moment the door slid shut  
Seion stepped in from her apartment to stand beside her.   
  
After all there shouldn't be anyone in there in this hour, and Seion  
can go use the men's bath and then it'd all be fine…  
  
"Hi Kiyone!" the Operative greeted. "Oh I see you haven't taken a  
turn at the bath yet…"  
  
"Uh, yeah!" Kiyone forced a smile, then her heart skipped a beat as  
someone entered from behind Seion.  
  
"Hmm, not a bad place." The person looked around. "I was  
wondering how you could ever stand bathing back there…" Mitsuki  
thought of the dripping shower head that came apart halfway in her  
hands, with a measly trickle of icy water that simply refused to do  
anything but drip limply straight down on the ground, even when  
the tap was turned up to the max. Shuddering slightly, she turned to  
Kiyone. "Any recommendations?"  
  
A huge bead of sweat formed over the back of Kiyone's head.  
  
====================================  
  
There was a moment of silence as he stared at them, his awe at the  
bath's magnificence giving way almost instantly to something else.  
  
"AAAAAH!!!!!" Three voices, two female one male, rang out in  
unison.  
  
Kova just managed to refrain from pulling open the door and  
bolting.  
  
He recovered first. "Looooook! I can…!" His eyes widened further,  
for as he addressed the two before him he realised he was really  
*looking* at them…  
  
Then there was nothing for it but to cover his eyes and pray…  
  
====================================  
  
Having done with Aeka and Ryoko's gift, Washu had been working  
on her own project for only about fifteen minutes when her  
computer detected something odd.   
  
*Sigh.* What now? First Tenchi, then Mihoshi, then Ken-oh-ki…  
  
Her finger lightly pressed a button…  
  
A man in the woman's bath? Tenchi!?  
  
No… she could have sworn she sent him off to bed already.  
  
She grinned.  
  
Looks like I don't have to look that far for him, do I? Ah well, just  
have to wrap a little bit more up and then…  
  
====================================  
  
"…explain this…" Someone croaked.  
  
Sounds familiar… oh it's me…I'm alive… he managed. His back was  
no longer to the door, but to one of the tiled walls, his body seemed  
to be upside down and resting on his neck. He realised he had  
probably been hurled against one of the walls before sliding down it  
to come to land with his neck and shoulders in contact the floor. He  
could feel the ache in his neck and back, while dimly making out  
some noises from somewhere ahead.  
  
"Hear him out!"  
  
"Grrrrr…!"  
  
He opened an eye slightly, looking out from between the slits in his  
fingers, then quickly shut it tight again, but the damage was already  
done.  
  
Aeka had been holding Ryoko back, about two metres from him.  
Unfortunately he was not exactly correctly oriented in the vertical  
sense…  
  
Oh god… he thought, as he felt his blood overflow from his upside  
down nostril down to over the bridge of his nose before wending  
over his forehead. "Ah… could Ryoko please…" he struggled. "Put  
something on first…?"  
  
"Now, explain yourself." Aeka's voice was full of anger and  
annoyance, as Ryoko, snorting in disdain, teleported away.  
Seconds earlier as the space pirate had teleported over to smash  
the living daylights out of the spy, Aeka had quite naturally seized  
for herself her customary companion to the baths. Normally she  
would then have proceeded to emulate Ryoko, except that she  
remembered she owed this person a debt for Sasami's rescue, not  
to mention the situation that night was already immensely bizarre  
even by her standards.  
  
"This had better be good." Ryoko answered, her voice laced with  
menace as she appeared beside Aeka, this time at least covered  
somewhat.  
  
To be honest, Kova never remembered feeling less himself, less  
composed and less in control of the situation before in his life as  
compared to now. Well, there was a close second, of his first  
experience of being "approached" in the Science Academy.  
  
Let's not go back there, please? A plaintive voice told him.  
  
I guess this is where I'm way behind the rest of the good spies.   
  
"There are Galaxy Police Officers, just outside… Kiyone pushed me  
in here to avoid getting spotted and…" He deliberately quashed the  
impulse to get on his feet, knowing his sudden movements would  
probably invite another wave of physical hostility. "I don't think she  
knew you were in here…" He gulped again, eyes tightly shut with  
his hands still over his face. "…and could someone please tell me  
where I am? This doesn't look like *the* bath at all…" He implored  
almost inaudibly.  
  
"Well, good enough?" Aeka asked, not noticing his question.  
  
"We'll see." Ryoko muttered. Teleporting to her clothes, she tossed  
them up and phased right into them. "You had better not be lying,  
mister."  
  
"Well, we've been soaking long enough," Aeka, keeping a wary eye  
on Kova, carefully walked over to her own pile and slid them over  
herself, towel and all. "True, I suppose only Kiyone could have  
opened the door to lead here… but I'm *warning* you," she growled,  
as she drew her towel out from under her kimono before securing  
her dress. "I had better not see you going anywhere near my room  
at night."  
  
Kova, eyes still tightly shut, swallowed audibly. "Yes, ma'am." He  
replied for lack of something better to say. "Can I open my eyes  
now?"  
  
====================================  
  
"Erm… you go first!" Kiyone tried again. She dared not risk opening  
the women's bath, for even if Kova wasn't in sight, if Mitsuki caught  
a glimpse of it she might invite herself in…  
  
Seion gallantly declined. "No, after all you came first."  
  
Mitsuki stared around for what seemed like the umpteenth time.  
"God damn the two of you!" For the second time she tried to get to  
the bathroom door, but, Kiyone instinctively interposed herself  
between her and the door. "Not again! Come on, 231 said he's not  
going to go in first already, right?"  
  
Kiyone grinned sheepishly and shook her head vigorously, trying  
not to let the blood drain out of her face. "Uh no… it's just that I  
*want* Seion to go first…"  
  
The Operative smiled appreciatively, but shook his head. "Nah, go  
on ahead, Kiyone. It ain't as if I were much wetter than you." He  
waved his hand dismissively.  
  
Mitsuki gave Kiyone a queer look. "*Seion*!?" She turned to the  
Operative. "That's your name!?" She turned back to glare at Kiyone.  
"How come *you* know?"  
  
"I told her, of course," Seion replied, deliberately arching his  
eyebrow as if to say 'and because I don't want you to know.'  
  
"Seion… Seion…" Mitsuki's brows came together as she was lost  
deep in thought, stepping from Kiyone to lean on the wall. She  
could feel it, the ghost of a thought that just danced on the edge of  
her conscious mind, eluding her grasp. "How come you never told  
me before?"  
  
Kiyone heaved a sigh of relief as Mitsuki apparently forgot for the  
time being about going into the bath. She was leaning back on the  
door when…  
  
"Whoa!" She cried, as the thing slid open just before her back came  
into contact with its surface, and she fell back…  
  
"Hey, watch it!" Ryoko exclaimed, instinctively catching Kiyone as  
she and Aeka stepped out of the bath, staring curiously at Mitsuki  
and Seion. Kiyone started instinctively as a baaad feeling took her  
by the horns…  
  
OH MY GOD! KOVA-CHAN!  
  
"Thank you…" Kiyone just managed to croak, her face turning as  
red as a radish as a huge sweatdrop formed on her forehead, and  
as she got back to her feet on wobbly knees, quickly slid the door  
shut. Fortunately for her, Mitsuki and Seion were looking at each  
other when the bath door opened so they didn't glimpse its odd  
insides… hopefully.  
  
Ryoko grinned at the thunderstruck Kiyone, whispering in her ear.  
"What's with looking surprised? Did you have something kinky in  
mind?"  
  
"Did you and Aeka…?" she managed to bring herself to whisper.  
  
"Naah, he'll stay fine now we know he's telling the truth." She stared  
meaningfully at Seion and Mitsuki, both of whom were giving her  
and Aeka an uneasy look. "I daresay I don't have very good  
relations with the Galaxy Police either…"  
  
"Oh really?" Was all Kiyone could muster weakly.  
  
"Galaxy Police?" Aeka stared at Mitsuki's uniform, dry compared to  
Kiyone's.  
  
"Your Highness," Mitsuki saluted smartly.  
  
"Well I'll be! If it ain't the the lady Aeka Jurai herself." Seion smiled  
winningly. "Care to do an introduction for us, Kiyone?"  
  
Mitsuki's eyes rove to the lady just diagonally behind Kiyone. "Miss  
Ryoko, I presume?"  
  
Ryoko snorted in disdain. "Drop the sweet talk, lady."   
  
"Erm," Kiyone stepped uncertainly into the middle of the two pairs.  
"Hi, I'm sure you're all glad to meet each other…"  
  
Seion's brows arched upward. "Hey, didn't the two of you just come  
out of the same bathroom!?" His eyes widened and his mouth  
opened up into an 'O'. "*No* …!!!"  
  
Kiyone shook her head before bowing it in defeat as she felt the  
temperature in the room rise, almost feeling the power surge behind  
her blistering her back. Mitsuki blinked, and had the sense to edge  
away from Seion not a moment too soon.  
  
CRASH!  
  
"What did I do!?" Seion managed, from his decked out position on  
the floor, before the furious gaze of amber and amethyst. "Was it  
something I said!?" He gasped, as the fingers choked harder on  
him.  
  
"*DON'T* you *ever* think that again you *pervert*!" Aeka screamed  
in his face, her fingers squeezing his throat harder.  
  
"I should *KILL* you for just daring to *say* that!" Ryoko hollered,  
her grip tightening on his neck.  
  
"Fine… now could you please get off me?" Seion managed, his face  
seeming to deepen to a darker shade of purple.  
  
How did these people move so fast? He asked himself. It was  
reminiscent of Kiyone pouncing on Mihoshi earlier that night…  
  
There was a weary yawn, and the door just diagonally opposite the  
bath's opened up. "What's going on?" A bleary eyed Tenchi  
muttered. He hadn't exactly got to sleep very much, his big mess up  
with Ryoko and Aeka had occupied much of his concern, and just  
as he was about to doze off this *had* to happen… "What in the…  
huh!?"  
  
His eyes snapped open as he made out Ryoko and Aeka atop what  
looked like a half naked man.  
  
Seion just managed to see his face of his two tormentors turn  
crimson, before they, as one, leaped to their feet.  
  
"Hello, Tenchi!" They greeted together, looking inordinately  
cheered. In response, Tenchi felt his nervousness shoot up by  
about ten times…  
  
"Uh… hi…" He looked awfully uncertain, and tried to ignore Seion  
who had gotten back to his feet. "Errr… are you two okay already?"  
  
"Yeah!" They answered together, and Tenchi blinked again.  
  
Mitsuki edged over to Kiyone's side, whispering. "You've got to  
teach me how to make a princess and a pirate sisters."  
  
Kiyone gave a weak laugh and shook her head. "Well, you need a  
Tenchi, at least."  
  
"And who are they?" Tenchi turned his attention to Mitsuki and  
Seion.  
  
Well at least she is a Galaxy Police Officer, he thought, relieved at  
the prospect of not having to provide for another lady hanging over  
him in the household… or at least he hoped so, from what he  
gathered of Kiyone and Mihoshi.  
  
Why the hell is that fellow dressed up that way? He thought. And  
why are both he and Kiyone wet? Could they be…  
  
His train of thought was interrupted by the addition of yet another  
voice.   
  
"Quite a group here," The cheerful, somewhat self satisfied voice  
heralded the arrival the greatest, and cutest, genius scientist in the  
whole universe. "And pray tell, what are such a group of young kids  
like you all doing here so late at night, hmm?"  
  
Seion blinked, having barely recovered from being set upon by two  
admittedly attractive ladies, was now forced to contend with…  
"Washu?"  
  
"That's my name," she nodded, regarding Mitsuki, and noting, like  
Tenchi had, that both Kiyone and a half (or quarterly) bare bodied  
Seion were both wet…and last of all her gaze swept on to Tenchi,  
who was staring nervously from Aeka to Ryoko. "I don't suppose  
the group of you kids were preparing to have a *party*, were you?"  
  
The seemingly innocuous statement, when murmured by one such  
as Washu, had a message all present decidedly understood, and  
their faces, notably Tenchi's, Aeka's, Kiyone's, and surprisingly  
Seion's, all were covered in a deeper shade of red.  
  
"Shame on you!" She teased. "How could you even *think* of  
leaving such a cute little genius scientist like me out of it, hmmm?"  
  
Kiyone's embarrassment finally gave way to her more rational side.  
"Washu! Who ever gave you such a ridiculous idea!?"   
  
"Oh yeah, I forgot," Washu smiled in reply. "I don't see your  
personal entertainer around anywhere, hmm?"  
  
Seion and Mitsuki's eyes almost popped out.  
  
"WASHU!!" Kiyone screamed, her veins almost bursting.  
  
How can she let *them* know about me and Kova-chan!?  
  
"Don't worry about it, Kiyone!" Washu smiled. "If you lost it I have a  
spare…"  
  
Everyone blinked, with the exception of Ryoko, who burst out into  
raucous peals of laughter, and Aeka joined her a moment later.  
  
"Not one of *those* things, Kiyone!?" Mitsuki asked, something  
close to extreme surprise in her voice. "Oh my…" Then she started  
laughing too.  
  
Kiyone finally realised, with a sinking sensation, roughly what  
Washu was referring to.  
  
"Do you *really* have one?" Mitsuki pressed, in between gasping  
for breaths.  
  
The green haired detective wanted to scream "OF COURSE NOT!"  
But to do that would give the gag away… All she could do was turn  
even redder, a large bead of sweat forming on her forehead, and  
stare at Washu with a look that promised painful, tortured death  
over at least a year, but the professor shrugged it off as Mitsuki's  
laughter rose in pitch to become almost hysterical.  
  
Seion's eyes met Tenchi's.   
  
Any idea what they're on about? He seemed to ask.  
  
None whatsoever. The boy replied with a shrug of his shoulders.  
  
"All right, enough fun and games for tonight. Let's see who these  
two are, shall we?" Washu asked. Kiyone heaved a sigh of relief.  
"Yeah I know you're waiting to get this over and collect it. It's in the  
lab if you want it." She grinned, and it was all Kiyone could do to  
stop herself from exploding.  
  
Seion, quickly noting that Kiyone was in no condition to do  
introductions, decided to volunteer to get the ball rolling. "Hiya  
folks, my name is Seion, this is my…" He paused a while as his  
mind floundered for a suitable word. "… co-worker Mitsuki, and  
we're here to help Kiyone and Mihoshi out with their assignment."  
  
Mitsuki gave Seion a funny stare, not because he didn't  
acknowledge her as a friend, which she knew he wouldn't anyway,  
but because he didn't venture to say it was *he* who was in reality  
in charge of this mission.  
  
Washu's gaze met Tenchi's, as the name clicked right in with the  
green hair and the eyes, looking uncannily like Kiyone's.  
  
Well, what do you know, he *does* seem a little like her… Washu  
thought. So this is the chap Mihoshi's upset over.  
  
"Well, yeah that's about it for the two of us," Seion replied  
cheerfully. "Don't tell me, let me guess… Lady Washu, lady Aeka,  
Tenchi and…" There was a slight darkening of his expression.  
"…Ryoko?" The space pirate, though absolved of her past record,  
was still remembered as one of the most notorious criminals in the  
universe, and for a response she snorted in disdain.  
  
Tenchi looked puzzled. "Hey, how did you know my name?"  
  
"A good guess," the operative grinned. "I'm just bursting with  
brilliance, I am."  
  
Mitsuki rolled her eyes once again, something she found she did  
way too much since Seion had dragged her on board the Midorishu.  
"Yeah right, and I'm the Grand Marshall."   
  
"Big deal, just read it off the files, didn't you?" Washu looked  
queerly at him and Kiyone. "I don't suppose you're going to tell me  
why you and Kiyone are so wet, aren't you?"  
  
Seion licked his lips nervously, the shine of his emerald eyes  
twisting about in a certain, almost precise, manner, and Tenchi was  
forcibly reminded of this morning, when Kiyone came to the  
breakfast table…  
  
Wow, they *are* alike. So Mihoshi wasn't kidding.  
  
"Well… it was just in the line of duty." Seion managed weakly.  
"Yeah, part of the job specs."  
  
Ryoko stared from him to Kiyone, the mirth from earlier not yet  
dying off her face. "Hey hey hey, Kiyone! Last night *off* work,  
tonight *for* work?" She grinned. "My, trying to make up for lost  
time, aren't we, eh?"  
  
The dark green haired lady didn't know how she managed, but  
somehow the barest fragments of her sanity told her to ignore that  
snide comment. "Well, Washu, we were…" She took this  
opportunity to impress on the others the nature of the situation.  
"…busy tonight…" Quickly she slapped a hand to her mouth and  
the other over her eyes as she realised what she had just said.  
  
Oops that didn't come out right at all… AAUGH! What's WRONG with  
me!?  
  
Ryoko burst out into a fresh gale of laughter as Aeka tried to hide  
her giggles.  
  
Seion frowned somewhat, especially at how apparently upset  
Kiyone was. "Look, we met a dangerous criminal, all right? We had  
a fight and got tossed in the river, fine, okay?"  
  
Washu arched an eyebrow and answered almost immediately.  
"Then why don't you take a bath, mister?"  
  
"Huh?" Seion managed, caught by surprise.  
  
Kiyone, the grateful look flashed at Seion for his earlier comment  
now switched to Washu and she quickly stepped behind Seion,  
hands pushing him in the direction of the bathroom. "Yeah, why  
don't you?" She asked, just managing to stop herself from pulling  
open the door for him.  
  
"Kiyone, you look like you need one too." Washu winked. "How  
convenient."  
  
Seion was going to protest when he realised the gallant thing would  
be to get in the bath by himself so that the people around would  
stop poking fun at Kiyone.  
  
Kiyone and Mitsuki looked in surprise as Seion, without protesting,  
abruptly opened the door and stepped in, and the former breathed a  
sigh of relief.  
  
Whew now I can get Mitsuki away as Seion's in the bath, then  
Kova-chan can come out while she's away…  
  
Her eyes widened as the door slid open again, and Seion's head  
poked out around it, looking sheepishly out. "Erm… since there's a  
guy around here, how 'bout a change of clothes?" His eyes rove  
around a while. "Tenchi?"  
  
The young Masaki gave a skyward look that seemed to say 'Why  
me?', as he realised these two people were likely to hang around for  
quite sometime, but he nevertheless went into his room, got a set of  
dry clothes and tossed them over.  
  
"Thanks," Seion's hands caught the bundle neatly. "Hmm, a little  
tight and small, but should be better than being wet…" He winked at  
Tenchi. "Thanks again, dude." Then his grinning face disappeared  
behind the door, which promptly slid shut right before Tenchi's  
dazed stare.  
  
Why does this kind of thing *always* happen to me? These people  
will just drop out of the sky and suddenly they're like swarming all  
over me and my house…  
  
He looked down at his hands, the ones that had dumbly acquiesced  
to Seion's request, which seemed to look back guiltily at him.  
  
Well, I guess I'm just too nice…  
  
"Great, just great!" Mitsuki exclaimed in irritation. "Now I don't  
suppose there's somewhere else to bathe, is there?"  
  
"Well, there's my place…" Even as she lied, Kiyone felt a nervous  
shiver course up her spine…  
  
Oh no, please god no…  
  
"But there's the women's bath, isn't there?" Tenchi asked. Kiyone  
groaned softly to herself, Washu's gaze swivelled away as her lip  
curled into what might have just barely been noticeable as a  
disapproving grimace, and Aeka turned to stare at Tenchi in horror.  
  
"Huh, what women's bath?" Mitsuki asked. Fortunately her surprise  
made her miss Aeka's expression, which was promptly dissolved  
when Ryoko judiciously gave the princess' ponytail a quick tug.  
  
"Hey!" Aeka shrieked, but Ryoko quickly whispered something into  
her ear.  
  
"Cut it out, she'll get suspicious."  
  
Aeka's anger fled almost instantly. "Oh…"  
  
"Besides," Ryoko continued, smiling a little. "It'd be fun…"   
  
Tenchi looked puzzled. "You mean you didn't know? Oh yeah I  
guess I forgot…" He raised his hand to scratch the back of his head  
in embarrassment. "You're new here, aren't you?"  
  
If Kiyone could have clamped his mouth shut or done *ANYTHING*  
inconspicuous to get him to shut up, she would have, except that  
she was in front of the bathroom door while Tenchi was in front of  
his bedroom, with Aeka and Ryoko in between. What *did* happen  
was that her face turned very red in frantic anger, and a teardrop of  
desperation forced itself out from under her eyelids as she closed  
her eyes and started praying.   
  
"Yes, of course I'm new." Mitsuki muttered, irritably. "*Where* is the  
bath? I may look dry but I'm sticky, you know."  
  
"Well it's just there…" Tenchi pointed helpfully, as Ryoko grinned  
madly and Aeka looked on in anxiety. "You know, just open the  
door."  
  
So much for praying… Kiyone thought, as yet another huge  
sweatdrop formed on the back of her head.  
  
"You've got to be kidding me!" Mitsuki exclaimed. "231's inside!  
See?"  
  
Before Kiyone could recover from her distress in time to stop her,  
Mitsuki's hand landed on the door, pulled sideways, expecting it to  
be locked from the inside…  
  
====================================  
  
He looked irritably at the four walls, misted through the steam, after  
having tried to use his dimensional portal to get out of it.  
Unfortunately, it seemed that in this dimension nothing else short of  
the bath existed, so the furthest he could go was step from one  
corner of the bath to the other.  
  
Great, I'm stuck here, in a dimensional pocket created by Washu  
exclusively for women to enjoy, with cops outside waiting to get me,  
and practically no place to hide.  
  
He kicked at the wall in angry annoyance.  
  
All I need now is for some ladies to join me…  
  
The sound of the door sliding open made his heart skip several  
beats.  
  
====================================  
  
"Wha…!?" Mitsuki murmured, as the door slid back…  
  
Kiyone covered her eyes, not daring to look…  
  
There were several moments of silence, as Mitsuki gaped. Kiyone,  
realising that if she had seen Kova there would have been trouble  
by now, almost fearfully turned to look behind her, her hands just  
creeping away from her face.  
  
Kova was nowhere to be seen.  
  
Kiyone almost fainted in relief.  
  
He's probably in one of the corners… after all the bath was so big  
standing from the doorway you could just barely make out the  
opposite wall behind the fountain through all that steaming vapour.  
  
The brunette finally caught her breath. "Wow…" She managed.  
"This is like… WOW!" She tugged at Kiyone's arm. "Look, isn't this  
great!?"  
  
The Chief Inspector was too distressed to answer, but then again  
Mitsuki wasn't looking at her face, having eyes only for the  
magnificent bath.  
  
"Not bad, huh?" Washu murmured, stepping up beside Mitsuki so  
the brunette was flanked by her and Kiyone. "How do you like it?"  
  
"I *can't* wait to throw myself in!" The redhead had quite forgotten  
herself. "Come on, Kiyone, let's go!" The exhilaration had driven  
away the calculating side of her for the time being, and she was  
suddenly the friendly and sociable, if a little cocky and impetuous,  
lady that had graduated from the Galaxy Police Academy six years  
ago. "There's enough space for both of us!"  
  
Kiyone gritted her teeth, and forcefully jerked her forearm out of  
Mitsuki's hand.  
  
"Huh?" The surprised detective turned to regard her colleague.  
"What the…?"  
  
A piercing gaze from Washu, whose pink eyes stared at her from  
behind Mitsuki, arrested Kiyone's impulse to scream incoherently at  
Mitsuki, and a sudden thought struck her.  
  
She'll think I'm mad and she'll go in and wash anyway… hell she  
may even get suspicious, after all I need a bath more than her… and  
what if she sees Kova-chan!? If I'm not there things might get pretty  
bad… he might even *kill* her if she sees him…  
  
"Uh, nothing." She mustered her will, and the strained fury on her  
face lessened significantly. "Yeah sure, why not?" She was  
somewhat surprised to note that her bundle of clothes for changing  
had remained on her arms all along, although she could have sworn  
she hadn't exactly been in the mood to trouble with holding on to it  
for the agonising past several minutes.  
  
"Yeah I need a break too," Washu added, winking at Kiyone.  
  
The green haired detective blinked.  
  
Does she know!?  
  
The brunette turned, enthusiastically grabbing both their arms.  
"Come on then let's…"  
  
There was a soft splash, just barely audible due to the continuous  
flow of water from the fountain somewhere within the bath, but  
Mitsuki's ears pricked up nevertheless, and Kiyone's face turned  
ashen.  
  
"What was that?" Mitsuki said as she spun around, staring straight  
into the bath.  
  
"What was what?" Washu asked, looking positively puzzled. "I  
don't see anything."  
  
"Probably just your imagination," Kiyone added, mentally  
swallowing.  
  
"Yeah, I guess sometimes we just need to unwind," Mitsuki  
concluded in a soft chuckle, and then, before Washu or Kiyone  
could react, tugged them both through the doorway and the door  
slid shut behind them.  
  
Tenchi, Aeka and Ryoko stared for a while, then…  
  
"BWAHAHAHA!" Ryoko rolled over laughing on the ground, side  
splitting with laughter.  
  
Aeka looked almost disgusted at the space pirate's mirth. "I think  
that's just mean!"  
  
"Oh yeah?" Ryoko laughed. "Remember what I said he would like?"  
  
"Ryoko!" Aeka cried in consternation. "You are simply incorrigible!"  
  
Tenchi felt sweat bead on his brow, as it began to dawn on him that  
Kiyone's face was the very epitome of utter horror the barest instant  
before the door shut, and he finally began to realise he may have  
done something *very* bad, but couldn't for the life of him tell what it  
was…  
  
====================================  
  
In a small light red shuttle somewhere over Earth, a figure got up  
from the bridge and walked from the control room to the capsule  
area, before settling down on a seat.  
  
"In orbit, awaiting point of release." The computer announced, as  
the occupant of the capsule mentally ran over the photos in the  
files, especially the two latest ones that had only just reached it.  
  
The face changed slightly, still retaining its handsome features as  
the cheekbones shifted down slightly and the sharp chin became  
higher as the length of the head shortened a little. Blue eyes turned  
emerald, and the double fringe parting of midnight blue hair became  
dark green, with a long curl down the left side, and the right fringe  
shifted behind even as it changed colour and became tied to flow  
down the back of the head.   
  
Then the hair shortened and turned auburn as the features became  
feminine…  
  
"Objective in range. Release."  
  
As the capsule was halfway down, the shuttle disintegrated, not  
exploded, with little fuss, into tiny little fragments of galactic dust…  
  
=== End of Chapter ===  
  
PLEASE send COMMENTS & CRITICISMS! (C&C)  
  
IMPORTANT :  
I'm seriously worried I may have serious difficulty finishing D&L b4  
Jan 2000, so in case that happens I want to set up some kind of mailing  
list for D&L. Basically it will tell u when a new chapter comes out.  
Please mail your Name & Email to zyraen@yahoo.com, no other data is reqd.  
If u like u can provide your age, sex, and readiness to C&C.  
  
SPAM (^_^;;;;) :  
Do take a look at HTTP://WWW.DRAGONSANIME.COM/CAVDAV !   
It's a really great review site, with very balanced reviews.  
Great place for picking up good fics to read! If u go there  
don't forget to check out the character poll !  
  
NOTES:  
Kova is in a way, an SIed character. Pls include him in your  
comments, whether I have portrayed him as a person, as a friend  
or foe, as one of the gang, and most importantly, as a human being.  
I have some pictures of him, not too good pencil drawings, if you  
wish to take a look pls mail me.  
  
This chapter is long, and was actually suppose to progress further,  
but somehow I got caught up in typing... ^^;;; Hope u dun mind.  
Please send Comments on it to zyraen@yahoo.com on how to make   
this chapter at least equal to the earlier ones.  
  
I hope you have enjoyed this Fanfic as much as I have typing it.  
If there are any more grammar errors, I beg your forgiveness, as  
my sole proofreader is myself.  
  
This is my first FF, so go ahead and mail me at zyraen@yahoo.com  
with comments, especially on character portrayal, realism.  
  
PLEASE send COMMENTS & CRITICISMS! (C&C) 


	16. No Need for Baths

DEDICATION (20/10/2000)  
  
To Serajadeyn  
  
Thanks for being a ProofReader, especially wif me hounding u for a   
few days ^^;;;. All the best for your fic Dimension : Stained.  
  
Sincerely, Zyraen ^_^  
  
REWRITE :   
Some pressure has been put on me to do a REWRITE for D&L. Currently,  
I've got CHAPTER 1 on rewrite, basically juz change the burger joint  
scene, reduce the speedy emotional involvement in the first fic.   
Then the rest of the rewrites will juz involve tweaking chapters from  
2-7 to consider the edited scene, as well as Chapter 2 & 3 to make  
up for the lack of emotional depth in the Chapter 1. The PLOT does  
NOT change. Those who are interested, may email me for the Rewrite,  
and I will be posting it at www.fanfiction.net soon. It will be  
placed as a separate fic, and PLEASE VOTE on whether u prefer  
the REWRITE or the ORIGINAL Chapter 1. It will decide if the  
rewrite is accepted, and makes it to the TMFFA, as well if I will  
update the contents for chapters 2-7.  
  
SORRY Long CHAPTER ^_^ But dun worry, after this, the interval will  
finally be declared over, then the serious action can begin again  
(probably after my A level exams ^^;;;)  
  
Disclaimer :  
Most characters in this story are property of AIC and Pioneer.  
They are in such a situation solely because of my imagination.  
This story was written purely for fun.  
  
I would also like to extend my whole hearted thanks and gratitude to  
Patrick "Seion" Stewart, who gave me permission to use his character  
Seion in Darkness & Light .  
  
Seion, if you're reading this and you find I screwed him up, please  
do inform me, I'll do my utmost to put him right. Thank you ^_^.  
  
Seion's work can be found in Gensao's TMFFA, at www.tmffa.com.  
  
DARKNESS & LIGHT - No Need For Kova  
  
By Zyraen  
  
CHAPTER XV : No Need for Baths  
  
In the women's bath…  
  
"Haha!" Mitsuki laughed cheerily, her shining eyes only on the bath  
as her fingers literally flew over her uniform, undoing the buttons  
and zips. "Here I come!"  
  
Kiyone, standing beside her, was still too shocked to speak.  
  
OH NO what *am* I doing here!?  
  
"You… want a towel?" Her voice was a barely audible whisper. It  
seemed as though she had split into two people, surely it was  
simply *impossible* for anyone to be at once level headed enough  
to say that to try to warn an acquaintance while simultaneously  
berating over her own fate.  
  
"Are you kidding me!?" The GP uniform was still in transit to the  
ground, when the red head broke into a run, her lingerie littering the  
ground between her original place and the edge of the pool.  
"Wheee!!" She screamed, as she took off as if from a springboard  
before curling in a spinning ball and careening with a resounding  
splash into the water. "Come on in!" Mitsuki cried, surfacing, scarlet  
hair all dripping with water, as she felt the warmth soak through into  
her limbs and muscles. "Aaah…"  
  
Kiyone stared, a huge sweatdrop forming off the back of her head.  
  
He could be anywhere…! Was that a figure I saw over there?  
  
A slight movement by her side startled her, as Washu started  
disrobing, seeming every bit her natural, normal self.  
  
Kiyone quickly stepped over to her and bent down, her expression  
wild, even as Mitsuki started kicking and splashing herself in the  
water. "You know…?"  
  
"'Course I do." Washu smiled slightly, not looking at her, and bent  
down as her suit fell from her to reach for the pile of three towels by  
the side of the door. "Good luck, Kiyone." Her fingers grasped the  
cloth, and Kiyone was still trying to absorb the meaning of her  
words. "Once we get Mitsuki out, I have to talk to him first, then after  
that you two can go ahead and have a wonderful time." She grinned  
wickedly as she drew three layers of material around herself.   
  
"Hey, come on in!" Mitsuki called again. "This is great! And forget  
the towels!"   
  
"Coming, hang on a minute!" The scientist called to Mitsuki, and  
gently slid her lithe, young body into the lukewarm waters of the  
pool.  
  
Kiyone was still wondering how the hell Washu knew and what she  
had meant when…  
  
"Kiyone, what's wrong?"  
  
"Huh?" The green haired detective, eyes wide, turned to regard  
Mitsuki. The red head was standing in the water, staring at her with  
a very odd expression, almost suspicious.  
  
"Come on, you're wet aren't you?" Mitsuki questioned.   
  
"Uh… just give me a while…" Kiyone's left hand clasped over her  
blouse protectively, her green eyes staring furtively at the room  
around her… she could almost imagine him, staring at *her*...  
  
"Well?" The red headed detective's brows furrowed, as Washu  
surreptitiously washed herself by the side of the bath, humming  
quietly to herself, almost as though it was to stop herself from  
laughing…  
  
Kiyone could only stare back pleadingly, still clasping her clothing  
to herself, unwilling to let go. "Erm yeah sure!" Her fingers reached  
for where the pile of towels should be and… closed about thin air.  
  
Her eyes widened with shock.  
  
"WASHU!!!" She screamed, outrage permeating her entire voice.  
  
"Hmm?" The redhead gave her an innocent look. "What's wrong,  
Kiyone?" Her voice was oozing with concern, as she flashed a  
wicked grin.  
  
"Well, forget them then, Kiyone!" Mitsuki cried, then leaned back  
against one of the edges and let herself slide all the way down into  
the water until her head was submerged.  
  
Kiyone stared around helplessly, her entire head all the way from  
the base of her neck turning a bright red as blood gushed into her  
face.  
  
Oh god I wish I could *die*…  
  
====================================  
  
Oh god I wish I could *die*…  
  
Crouching under the fountain, with his back to the outcropping and  
up to his chest in the water, Kova, while taking care to keep still  
behind the curtain of water falling before him, very gingerly opened  
his eyes.  
  
Come on…! He remembered how he had staved off the ladies back  
at the Science Academy. You have done this before and you can do  
it again!   
  
Steeling himself, he gazed directly out through the watery curtain,  
past the overflowing bronzed bowl near the centre of the  
rectangular pool, at the thankfully blurred figures in sight that were  
Mitsuki and Washu, in the pool.  
  
You can do it…  
  
His eyes focused, observing the blurred, flesh coloured forms  
through the curtain of water, breaking their outlines into shapes,  
mere objects that held no attraction or arousal for him, so that the  
figures, rather than representing women, became only  
compositions of colour and tone, that were just coincidentally akin  
to the female figure, but were not in his mind associated with them  
in any other way, much like the way a pencil sketch of an apple  
cannot be mistaken for a real apple.  
  
Okay… two down one to go…  
  
The still clothed figure moved, and unbidden Kiyone appeared in  
his mind's eye, shrinking back and trembling like an ensnared  
doe…  
  
He gulped, sweat beading on his brow.  
  
This is going to be *very* hard…  
  
====================================  
  
Reluctantly, Kiyone's hands reached down and pulled her shirt over  
her head, trying to stop the tremors of embarrassment that caused  
her entire body from knees up to quaver.  
  
I'm going to remove my blouse…  
  
He's watching!!!  
  
Washu… I'll *kill* you!  
  
I am *just* going to remove my blouse…  
  
Her hand dropped it off to one side of her.  
  
There, she told herself, but the scarlet tinge simply refused to leave  
her face and neck.  
  
Now, I'm going to take off my…  
  
NO! I *can't*!  
  
Kiyone was vaguely aware of Mitsuki watching her oddly, having  
surfaced again. There was something wrong here, in the way  
Kiyone's hands froze midway in the act of unbuckling her belt,  
something the redhead couldn't quite pinpoint, but there was  
definitely something amiss.  
  
"Is something wrong?" There could be no doubting the brunette's  
tone.  
  
Kiyone grit her teeth.  
  
Yes I *am* going to take this off!  
  
Before her mind could intervene any further her hands quickly slid  
her skirt along and out from under her legs, almost of their own  
volition.  
  
Whew… Kiyone thought as her trembling fingers dropped the  
soggy garment aside, and could feel the heat of the bath all along  
her bare skin…  
  
AAAHH!  
  
It took all of her will not to articulate her mental scream, as the  
realisation sank in that she was clad only in her undergarments  
before what she felt certain was the gaze of a man, and just  
managed to stop herself from making a run for the pool, being  
aware she was supposed to act naturally, which was to disrobe  
*completely*.  
  
Come on it's only Kova-chan…  
  
I can't I *can't* I *CAN'T* !! She almost sobbed.  
  
She quickly turned around to hide the distress on her face. Mitsuki  
frowned, and was going to call again but Washu shook her head at  
Mitsuki.  
  
"She usually uses one of these…" she pointed at the three towels  
wrapped around herself.  
  
Mitsuki raised an eyebrow but made no additional comment, before  
smiling and tossing herself backwards into the warm bath.  
  
====================================  
  
About the time Washu had gotten into the pool…  
  
"What happened, Ryoko?" Tenchi stared. "How did you get that?"  
  
The space pirate's face went blank, and her mirth ended, as she  
instantly jumped to her feet. "Oh er…" Her hand was covering the  
object of Tenchi's attention as some sweatdrops formed on her  
face. "It's nothing!" She gave a forced smile.  
  
"Are you all right?" He asked in concern, stepping forward.  
  
"It's nothing!" Ryoko urged again as she backed away. "It's  
nothing, really, I tell you!"  
  
To Tenchi's immense astonishment, Aeka interposed herself  
between him and Ryoko. "Ah, erm, don't worry about it, lord  
Tenchi!" The princess smiled nervously. "We'll be fine! It's very late  
already, I think we should all go sleep already, right Ryoko?"  
  
Ryoko nodded dumbly, not taking her eyes from Tenchi.  
  
The boy stared at the two of them in some kind of puzzled disbelief.  
When Kiyone and her most recently arrived colleagues had left,  
Tenchi had been left alone with Ryoko and Aeka, the former who  
had been rolling on the floor laughing. No longer distracted by  
others, he had realised, with some kind of shock, that Ryoko's shirt  
had a large slash over its lower chest, where she originally got hit  
on board the Comet, to reveal a nasty bloodied weal beneath…   
  
"What is going on here!?"  
  
Aeka and Ryoko licked their lips nervously before him, and looked  
innocently away.  
  
Tenchi's eyes widened.  
  
He could see Aeka, storming to her room amidst a flood of tears,  
while Ryoko had grimly teleported out from in front of him, only this  
very night…  
  
No, they couldn't have been fighting, could they!?  
  
Stunned, Tenchi paused, his face bunching up in a rictus of dread  
and denial.  
  
I tried so hard… so hard… they wouldn't have… no…  
  
Aeka and Ryoko stared as they saw Tenchi stagger back, his eyes  
directed down, his eyes wild and staring…  
  
I had been hoping so much, praying even…  
  
As is often with Tenchi, he conveniently overlooked the fact that  
Ryoko and Aeka were standing side by side before him without  
making for one other's throats. That Aeka had tried to help Ryoko  
pass it off as nothing meant to him that they both didn't want to let  
him know before they went back to trying to kill each other once  
more. Once again the thought about the presents flashed in his  
mind…  
  
"I'm sorry, Aeka, Ryoko." His brown eyes came up to meet theirs,  
full of sadness and regret. "Please… please don't fight anymore,  
please…"  
  
Princess and pirate gawked in astonishment, as Tenchi beseeched  
them.  
  
"It's all my fault… if you want to fight someone, fight me… don't hurt  
each other…"  
  
Both the girls blinked, and stared at each other, and suddenly…  
  
Oh man, he couldn't have been thinking *that*, could he!?  
  
His melancholic words, at first cryptic, fitted in perfectly into place  
with that thought, and struck a raw chord deep within both of  
them…  
  
"HUH!?" Tenchi blinked.  
  
What did I do now!?  
  
"Tenchi you *BAKA*, you idiot, you!" Ryoko laughed fondly as she  
squeezed him harder, with pleasure at his concern for her, yet in  
pain too at the knowledge that he cared for Aeka as deeply as he did  
for her.  
  
"Oh, Lord Tenchi! That's *so* *sweet* of you!" Aeka teased  
affectionately as she tightened her embrace, touched by the depth  
of his feelings, yet also somewhat pensive as to how he meant it as  
much for Ryoko as for herself.  
  
Tenchi blinked again, then finally closed his eyes and gulped  
nervously. The sensation was nice, no doubt, but if Aeka or Ryoko  
suddenly decided they wanted to hug all of him at once…  
  
A teardrop formed behind him.  
  
====================================  
  
This is *not* good.  
  
His eyes were wide open, and were staring straight at only one  
figure, the one that had just turned its back on the pool. It didn't  
matter that it was merely a bipedal beige-coloured blur with the  
upper half of its back covered with verdant dark green shades. His  
imagination was doing all the rest of the work for him, and seemed  
to be working overtime on the fact that there seemed to be nothing  
but pale flesh tones apart from the green. The mist from the water  
vapour helped somewhat in obscuring the actual figure, but  
unfortunately that only made the mental image more distinct to  
make up for the visual lack.  
  
Kiyone-chan…  
  
Another warm droplet landed on his hand, and he subconsciously  
substituted his other hand under his nose and rubbed the blood on  
the current one off on the part of his bandage that was still above  
water.  
  
He shivered despite the warmth of the water, as the tremors of  
desire ran through him, leaving white-hot streaks along his soul,  
aching for fulfillment.  
  
Stop *this* at once! He ordered.   
  
His libido gave him a thoughtful look, then decided to ignore him.  
  
Close, damn you! He cried futilely at his eyes.   
  
Not possessing ears, they probably didn't get the message.  
  
Oh come on please… get a grip on yourself man!  
  
Almost in sarcasm, another drop of blood landed in his hand.  
  
====================================  
  
Closing her eyes, she reached over under her arm to undo the  
strap…  
  
She was trembling with tension, and inside her all sorts of  
conflicting messages were streaming across her synapses in  
chaotic bundles of thought.  
  
The door… it's only two steps away… just grab my clothes and  
bolt…  
  
It's nothing! He probably can't even see you!  
  
Washu, I *will* kill you!  
  
I don't *believe* I'm doing this!  
  
Well you don't *have* a choice…  
  
Kiyone summoned all her will in an effort to quell her inner turmoil.  
  
SILENCE!  
  
Relief flowed through her as the cacophony ceased, though  
probably for nothing else apart from surprise, while cold reason  
rapidly seized the respite and contrived to fill the vacuum left  
behind.  
  
Bottomline - do I have to do this?  
  
Erm… well… yes…  
  
Well then let's get it over with!!  
  
Before the remaining facets within her could raise sufficient protest  
to burst through the mental screen she had erected to shut them off,  
her hands had slipped her remaining garments off as fast as they  
possibly could. Kiyone whirled around, the mask of determination  
on her scarlet face fading into an abashed but relieved expression  
that twitched apprehensively as she made a low dive across the  
tiled floor past the edge of the pool…  
  
"Huh?" Mitsuki started as she surfaced, just managing to glimpse  
the mass of swirling dark green hair bear down on her. "Whoa!" The  
water before her erupted into sprays of droplets as Kiyone plunged  
in.  
  
====================================  
  
Something told him he should be heaving a sigh of relief, but he  
didn't, or couldn't.  
  
Something told him he should be applauding Kiyone's actions,  
economical in terms of time spent getting into the water, and  
therefore should have been sparing on his blood loss.  
  
Trouble was that, despite it all, his eyes had been keenly attuned to  
her throughout, and they had a knack of registering the swiftest  
movements. If they hadn't, he probably wouldn't be here now.  
Unfortunately, his sight also came inlaid with an innate ability to  
visualise, so he could react to a suspected sudden threat first,  
before actually registering what it was that had emerged.  
  
These two keen faculties, otherwise so crucial to his survival,  
unfortunately exacerbated his agitation very greatly.  
  
He could almost see, in his mind's eye, in that short moment as she  
spun around and before she could dive low, her form and figure,  
see them through and beneath the swirls and billows of her  
luxuriant hair, white skin and rounded curves, in all her resplendent  
glory…  
  
Get back *back* *BACK*! He screamed at himself, willing his mind  
away from what was almost sacrilegious defilement and intrusion,  
at least to him, into the makings of the one that was holy in his heart  
and being.  
  
Have you no shame!! He cried. Stop it! I haven't even seen her body  
before, and I *shall* not until that the day she so consents …  
  
Before his lustful eyes could focus properly on the mental picture, it  
shattered apart like pieces of glass…  
  
There! He told himself.  
  
Only to reveal another identical picture behind…  
  
DAMNED!  
  
In a flash, *that* image caught fire and was quickly reduced to  
ashes…  
  
The one after that was ripped asunder by invisible hands, and the  
one after that had a huge slab of stone fall out from nowhere to  
cover it… unfortunately with another identical picture pasted on top  
of it.  
  
AAH! Stand back you!  
  
Kova eradicated in succession, in every imaginable way he could  
possibly think of, every image of the unclothed Kiyone that had  
arisen from within him, in a desperate effort to force his lascivious,  
slavering side away from the damsel he deemed he had to defend.  
  
Back in the real world, the one hand under his nose already had five  
drops of blood on it, and his pants were feeling rather tight, but he  
was too lost in his internal struggle to notice it.  
  
====================================  
  
Heaven! Her mind swooned as the warmth enfolded her, caressing  
her skin. And safe…  
  
Her head broke the surface of the water, and a loud laugh of revived  
pleasure escaped her lips, but she nevertheless kept her arms  
folded tightly before her body.  
  
"Wha…?" Mitsuki picked herself back up out of the water as her  
colleague's form toppled backwards gently.  
  
Kiyone grinned at her. "Happy?" She laughed, somewhat  
nervously, again, before leaning back against the edge of the pool,  
and once she was sure she had balance, quickly crossed her legs  
over one another, though as before her face simply refused to throw  
off that red stain.  
  
Oh but this *is* great! It *does* feel better than with a towel.  
  
And he's watching… and I'm completely…  
  
SHUT UP!  
  
Mitsuki watched as Kiyone contrived to curl even further in upon  
herself, casting her emerald eyes around nervously.  
  
"Ahehe…" she managed before Mitsuki's piercing gaze. "I'm in  
already, so… why don't you just enjoy it? I'll…" gulp. "…definitely  
be staying around here for some time."  
  
The brunette looked a little surprised, but she *did* adore this  
bath… "Okay, then!" Then she gave a little chuckle of pleasure and  
was making headway paddling along the bath towards the central  
bowl.  
  
As Mitsuki turned around, there was a soft growl before Washu felt  
fingers close around her neck. There was a blur about her as the  
hand jerked her off her feet, and next thing she knew she was  
staring into blazing green eyes, not to mention an upraised fist that  
looked rather eager to plunge itself into her face.  
  
"Like the bath, Kiyone?" Washu smiled slyly, pink eyes twinkling as  
she calmly continued to splash herself with water, even though her  
feet could not touch the floor of the pool as she was being held up.  
  
"Wwwwaaashhuuuu!!!!!" Fury emanated from Kiyone like warm  
vapour from the pool, and she was obviously trying very hard to  
keep her voice down. "You…!"  
  
Washu winked at Kiyone. "Stop being such a prude, Kiyone."  
  
"Huh?" The immense surprise at being winked at cheerfully by a  
person faced with imminent oblivion was such that it penetrated  
even the barrier of apoplexy that had risen about her.  
  
"Come on, it's not as if I don't know about the two of you, right?"  
Washu smiled, inclining her face slightly downwards away from the  
Kiyone. "So how long will the two of you need in here after I leave,  
huh?"  
  
Kiyone's eyes bulged out and the outraged expression temporarily  
slipped back into embarrassment, while her blush flared again with  
a vengeance. "What *are* you talking about?"  
  
"Heh, don't pretend, Kiyone…" Washu stared back, her gaze  
meeting hers head on. "I know about the two of you, that you like  
him and love him." She smiled almostly maternally to Kiyone,  
despite the fact she was still being held up in her grip. "It's only  
natural to want to do this and that with him."  
  
Kiyone felt the pressure build up within her, but her face only  
became marginally redder as it was already pushing the limit.  
"WASHU!"  
  
"Don't you?"  
  
"I…" Kiyone felt her throat run dry. "…nothing's sure for us yet."  
  
"You don't get it, do you?" Washu sounded as though she had just  
been trying to explain an invention to Kiyone. "What *is* for sure is  
that the two of you are together now."   
  
Kiyone's face tilted down, and as she did she gently let Washu  
down so the professor's feet were on the tiled floor of the pool once  
again.  
  
She could see herself, sad and sombre green eyes reflected on the  
surface of the water, misted somewhat through the vapour, and see  
through past her transparent reflection to the floor below, as though  
she were no more than like some kind of ghost. Whether her eyes  
themselves shimmered and quivered with tears or whether it was  
just the the gentle lull and ripples along the shining surface of the  
water, she had no way of knowing.   
  
That is what we are, isn't it? Mere transparent shells even against  
the water, mere mortals against the universe. What is our joy will  
pass in time. Who are we to try to change the course of the light, to  
try to find that one perfect star in the endless darkness of the  
universe? We are so small, so insignificant, how can a pebble  
change the flow of a river?  
  
It was a beautiful Kiyone she looked upon, with her long hair wet  
and clinging to her skin, but also at once, running down into  
darkened and chaotic swirls framed about her face, about the face  
of a bereaved Kiyone, with dimming eyes that were losing their  
lustre.  
  
Better that we just live for here and now. I'll have his arms around  
me, and he'll have me by his side, we will squeeze as much love as  
we can out of the other, and who cares what comes after that? Hell, I  
may just run from my old life and we'll fly away forever into the skies  
of space…  
  
A hand landed on her bare shoulder.  
  
"Huh?" She started up, not noticing amidst the warmth of the bath  
the clear lines of liquid that crept over and down her cheeks, to land  
amidst concentric ripples into the pool. Her reflection wavered  
somewhat, but did not break its form.  
  
"Kiyone." Unlike the other members of the Masaki household, the  
speaker did not express her concern explicitly, but the tone of that  
simple word told Kiyone she cared. Washu's facade of mischief had  
been, for the moment, utterly banished, and Kiyone thought she  
could see, from deep within the depths of those piercing pink eyes,  
a deep and all-encompassing sorrow. It had once threatened its  
owner, so devastating it must have been, but now it bestowed on  
the scientist an empathy so poignant and pure, no unblemished  
heart could possibly exude in such intensity. "Countless have tried  
and countless have failed." There was no telling for whom Washu  
spoke for, or how long the period she was referring to, but there  
was no doubt she herself had been one of them. "You will not try to  
succeed, Kiyone." Her pink eyes caught fire, and Kiyone felt the  
power emanate from within what, it was clearly apparent, was  
merely a shell that seemed to be that of the child. "You *will*  
succeed." The raw emotion and underlying anguish beneath the  
veneer of strength, called out to her, gave her strength. It was  
almost as if Washu herself lay in a grave, and was reaching for  
Kiyone to take her place, to give her the will to succeed where she  
herself had failed, to redeem her own sorrow.  
  
There was a moment of silence.  
  
"What happened, Washu?" Kiyone asked, gently.  
  
"Huh?" The voice was already regaining its youthful sparkle, the  
eyes had started to twinkle rather than blaze, and the grin was  
forming up again, albeit with a touch of pain on it. "Heh, no need to  
know." She continued washing herself, as though normally. "You're  
still young."  
  
Kiyone licked her lips. "Why… why are you telling me this, Washu?"  
  
"Well, no real reason." The professor was seemingly unconsciously  
edging away, and she was no longer maintaining eye contact with  
Kiyone. "Thought you might need some encouragement. And well,  
it might just be interesting to see someone break the mould." She  
smirked slightly. "Though I must wonder, *why* did you have to  
choose *him*?" There was still a hint of distaste in her voice, but  
then again it might only have been that of mild surprise. "Mihoshi,  
maybe, but of all people, it had to be *you*. Heh, guess we all have  
to let it out sometimes."   
  
Kiyone's face, which had let its blush fade away with her earlier  
despair, now bloomed rose again, but only faintly so. The waters  
were soothing her, calming her, and she no longer felt the desperate  
urge to flee from the bath or snatch a towel so keenly now. She  
closed her eyes and tried to lead her mind elsewhere.   
  
I wonder where he is…  
  
She folded her arms back in front of her chest at the thought, and  
cast her eyes around the pool.  
  
There were some distant sighs of joy as Mitsuki washed herself  
under the bowl in the centre of the bath, bathing in the descending,  
gentle curtain of water…  
  
Then there is only one other place, so it must be…  
  
"The waterfall at the far end." Washu was peering curiously at the  
green haired detective, with her eyes roving around in a searching  
manner, it was not difficult to deduce what was on her mind.   
  
"I know." She murmured, a little crossly. It was bad enough Washu  
had taken all the towels, and now the scientist was intruding into  
her thoughts. At least the rock wall that served as a background to  
the fountain was rather dark in colour, and the base of the watery  
curtain churned the otherwise clear water into an opaque froth, so  
one had to be fairly close to even ascertain if there was anyone  
there…  
  
As if on cue, Mitsuki decided she'd leave the central fountain and  
gently swam away from the bowl to approach the further side of the  
pool.  
  
"Heh, well I was just thinking, what kind of view is he having back  
there…" the professor insinuated wickedly.  
  
Kiyone's eyes widened as she suddenly realised that Mitsuki was  
much closer to the back than she herself was, and was, given the  
brunette's current disposition, occasionally splashing about,  
swimming or soaking herself, but generally moving about while  
standing up to her stomach in water.  
  
And no doubt, providing a rather excellently and enticingly  
entrancing view to whoever was hiding under the flow of water from  
the fountain at the outcropping.  
  
NO! He wouldn't *do* that! He *loves* me!  
  
But she couldn't help herself, stop herself from almost imagining  
him staring with wide, hungry, open eyes at what must look like to  
most, if not all, men, a delectable, luscious, and best of all, blissfully  
unsuspecting morsel…  
  
Washu chuckled somewhat to herself as there was a rush of water  
by her and Kiyone suddenly pushed off, swimming forward with  
some kind of desperate alarm and jealousy, towards Mitsuki's  
direction and the back of the pool. From the look she had glimpsed  
on her face, Washu doubted if Kiyone was even thinking clearly in  
that instant she moved off.  
  
It was at least four seconds before Kiyone's natural reasoning  
finally managed to get in a line between the twin engines of fear and  
jealousy, and in the process asking a rather crucial question.  
  
What the *hell* do YOU think you're *DOING*!?  
  
I… am swimming towards the back…  
  
Kiyone froze, already almost a third of the way towards the pool.  
  
So!? Let me guess - you want to give him a better view so he'll stop  
looking at Mitsuki and look at you instead!? Is that it!?  
  
Watching her from behind as she stopped, Washu would have burst  
out laughing, except that she quickly covered her mouth and  
pushed herself down so only her nose was above water, and even  
then she nearly gulped down a mouthful.  
  
Kiyone stared, standing stockstill in the water. Mitsuki, oblivious to  
her colleague's tortured turmoil and thoroughly enjoying herself in  
the exploration of the bath, hummed to herself as she leisurely  
frisked her way across to the back, heading to where the stream of  
water burst from the rock face to cascade into the pool, sending  
splashes of water up now and then and cooing in delight as she  
relished the comforting, reviving warmth of the bath.  
  
It was only when Mitsuki crossed her vision again, within four  
metres of the fountain, that Kiyone suddenly realised…  
  
*DAMNIT* she's *GOING* there!  
  
"MITSUKI!!!" Her voice called out rather more urgently than was  
proper.  
  
"Huh?" The brunette turned around, standing straight up, head half  
turned to her.  
  
Kiyone nearly sobbed in relief, but the feeling was instantly  
obliterated as she imagined how Mitsuki must look like in that pose  
from what was ostensibly Kova's hiding place.  
  
"Erm, we need to talk…"  
  
"Later, Kiyone!" Mitsuki laughed it off.   
  
"Come over here! Right *NOW*!" She screamed  
  
"Well, if it's really urgent, you can come over here then, and the  
water up ahead looks *really* cool!"  
  
"Uhhh… no thanks," Kiyone uttered sheepishly at the thought, a  
sweatdrop forming off her head.   
  
Oh no too late why did I say that!?  
  
"Suit yourself!" Mitsuki laughed, and leaped out of the water, diving  
straight at the fountain.  
  
An image assaulted Kiyone, flitting across her mind's eye, a grim  
reminder of what might happen, where there was a flash of cerulean  
from within the watery curtain, before Mitsuki tumbled down into  
two lifeless, bloodied halves.  
  
NO!  
  
The scene dissolved, and this time as Mitsuki sailed through the air,  
she could hear sinister, lustful laughter, and eager hands reached  
out from the water to seize Mitsuki. She could almost see Kova, his  
face twisted into a visage of salaciousness, his blue eyes looking  
disdainfully at her as he drew the screaming Mitsuki to him.  
  
A sharp pain pierced through her being, breaking her frightful  
visions, but nevertheless there was Mitsuki all right, still happily in  
transit to the fountain, towards Kova…  
  
====================================  
  
Ryoko was still laughing to herself, and Aeka's face still framed with  
a wry smile, when they let go to look at him.   
  
Tenchi stared back, still half in shock. "So… I guess… you both  
forgive me?" He asked plaintively. "And… no more fighting…?"  
  
Aeka and Ryoko took one look at his still doubtful expression,  
clouded with uncertain fear and nervousness, then as one burst out  
into gales of merriment.  
  
Great, *now* what did I do?  
  
Another sweatdrop formed on his head as he watched, and his  
hand unconsciously went up to scratch his head, before he  
remembered what …  
  
"Erm… so Ryoko, exactly what happened?" Tenchi pressed, trying  
to forget how stupid he felt in front of the two of them.  
  
Aeka, hearing the serious tone in his voice, ceased laughing, trying  
to think rationally and to ease the slight ache deep within at hearing  
him admit once again, his concern for her rival.  
  
If Tenchi wants to know, it's not right to keep him in the dark… after  
all, this is his house and his life… we're only guests here.  
  
Ryoko seemed not to have heard, and continued laughing, but Aeka  
sensed she had heard Tenchi clearly as well, and the gaiety was  
bleeding out of her even as she feigned deafness.   
  
Tenchi caught the muted, serious look in Aeka's eyes, and turned to  
regard her. "Aeka, will you tell me what happened?"  
  
"If you really want to know, we won't keep it from you, Tenchi,"  
Aeka reluctantly replied.   
  
Abruptly, the corridor was silent, as Ryoko suddenly got to her feet,  
her amber eyes darting from Aeka to Tenchi, who had started in  
surprise as she got up. "Whatever it is, just remember, Tenchi, it's  
been taken care of and it's all over with now."  
  
Tenchi felt funny as he sensed Ryoko's gaze bearing into his,  
exuding a certain form of apprehension but also concern, but  
nevertheless, he stood firm. "That's fine, Ryoko. I just want to know  
what happened, why you're hurt, and if you're feeling okay."  
  
Although outwardly unruffled, Aeka flinched inwardly, but refrained  
from commenting. Ryoko gave her a quick sidewards glance, and  
Aeka nodded, a little pensively.  
  
"Well Tenchi, Nagi paid us a visit just now." Ryoko mumbled.   
  
"What!?" Tenchi exclaimed in utter surprise, for from the way Aeka  
and Ryoko had been looking at each other, he presumed it was  
something they did that they were reluctant to tell Tenchi about.  
  
"And well, this little thing…" Ryoko pointed at the gash as though it  
were nothing more than a little streak of red painted across her skin.  
"… was one of her presents." She give a nervous grin. "So huh,  
yeah that's about it…"  
  
"Wait, wait, wait…" Tenchi tried to readjust his mind to this new  
piece of information. It seemed that with all the recent surprises and  
distortions that warped his already abnormal life, he had had to do a  
lot of it lately. "Wait a minute… You're telling me Nagi came by and  
fought you? What for? I thought we annulled your bounty, at least in  
Jurai!"  
  
Aeka stepped in at this point. "Nagi doesn't care for the money,  
Tenchi. She was here to get Ryoko's head." Her voice was sombre  
and solemn.  
  
"But… so you fought her off?"  
  
Ryoko and Aeka looked at each other once again.   
  
"Erm… do you really want to hear it all?" Aeka asked, uncertain.  
  
"Yes. As long as it concerns…" Tenchi bit back the name Ryoko.  
"…both of you, I think I ought to know. Everything." He saw them  
gave one another a questioning look. "Especially if it involves me."  
  
"Well, go ahead then…" Aeka nodded to Ryoko.  
  
Hesitantly, reluctantly, Ryoko continued. "Well, you see Tenchi, she  
had Ken-oh-ki aiming his ship cannons here, and she had taken  
Ryo-oh-ki, so I had to stand and fight." She paused a while. Much as  
it was part of her nature to fight to the end, it was also hard of her to  
accept that she had been practically defeated and had been saved  
only by Aeka's intercession… "I tried, really… but sometimes things  
just happen and so…" She tried to hide her discomfiture at openly  
admitting before a third party, even Tenchi, that she owed Aeka,  
unsuccessfully. "Lucky for me, Aeka decided to lend me a hand, or I  
might not be here talking to you now…" Her voice trembled at the  
thought of never seeing Tenchi ever again.  
  
To Tenchi's credit, and the surprise of both girls, he did not regard  
Aeka with any kind of surprise, although he knew very well that just  
before the said event they would probably have gone for each  
other's throats if not for his being there. All he did was smile at her,  
as if he knew it would be just like her to do that, and although it  
seemed he knew it was something he could take for granted, he  
was nonetheless still immensely proud to have Aeka as something  
more than a friend.  
  
The princess lowered her face, blushing somewhat in pleasure, but,  
unseen by Tenchi, Ryoko winced.  
  
"Please continue," Tenchi turned back to Ryoko, looking grave  
once more.  
  
Ryoko licked her lips, trying to forget the pain she felt the instant  
Tenchi had smiled at Aeka. "While Aeka kept Nagi busy, I teleported  
back here and got Washu to set up a shield for Ken-oh-ki's lasers.  
She then did a scan for Ryo-oh-ki, which happened to be on Nagi,  
so I went back." Here she paused. "I don't know what Aeka did, but  
she was giving some kind of promise or something to Nagi, so long  
as Nagi left me alone."  
  
Tenchi's eyes widened in surprise, at what Aeka did, but he kept  
quiet to listen. Something in the back of his mind told him he should  
be more concerned about his house being shot at, but he ignored it.  
The old Tenchi would have instantly made a big hoo-ha about  
nearly being blown up in the middle of the night by a space ship  
while he was asleep in his home, but after all the recent events,  
especially those on board the Comet, he was somewhat surprised  
to find he shrugged it off as naturally as perhaps Katsuhito might.  
  
Ryoko continued. "Nagi returned Ryo-oh-ki, called Ken-oh-ki off,  
and left us…" She brightened up at the thought. "So you see,  
Tenchi, it's all settled and you don't need to worry!" But she knew it  
was a lie that even she herself did not believe.  
  
Tenchi arched and eyebrow. "Oh, really?" His gaze shifted to Aeka.  
"So, how did you get Nagi to back off, Aeka?" He still remembered  
the bounty hunter had practically ploughed through at least three  
squadrons of Juraian ships just to *ensure* no one else got to  
Ryoko first.  
  
I wonder… he couldn't help but think. Did she feel betrayed when,  
after helping us and letting Ryoko off, Ryoko's bounty and crimes  
committed within Juraian territory were all annulled?  
  
What am I doing thinking like this!? She nearly killed me back then  
before and on Venus, as well as just a short while ago!  
  
Suddenly he blinked, as he recovered himself, and saw Aeka and  
Ryoko giving him a curious look. Aeka gave a slight huff before she  
saw that his attention had returned.   
  
"She's not here for Ryoko alone, apparently. She's here looking for  
someone else too, and I believe the bounty is quite substantial."  
  
"So what did you promise her?" Tenchi could not help being a little  
apprehensive, for Nagi was not one of those who turned away  
lightly.  
  
Aeka looked a little reluctant, but Tenchi's worried look decided her  
against keeping him in the dark. "Well, I promised that I would do my  
best to help her capture her other bounty. Provided she asks for our  
help and I keep to my side of the bargain, she will never disturb  
Ryoko again."  
  
Ryoko snorted. "If I know anything about Nagi, she won't be that  
willing to ask for help, she's just keeping her options open. So we  
had better be ready for her next time."  
  
Tenchi blinked, and though he tried to hold on to his misgivings to  
bring them into light, they suddenly evaporated from his mind,  
slipping away like sand through a sieve.  
  
"Tenchi?" Aeka and Ryoko asked, seeing him perplexed and  
uneasy.  
  
"I'm fine, just that… something feels wrong, like we're missing  
something…"  
  
"Relax, Tenchi." Ryoko murmured, edging closer. "Maybe you  
should go to bed." Aeka's form slipped out of her line of sight, and  
she temporarily forgot herself. "Maybe *we* should go to bed." Her  
sultry voice was almost a purr, and her eyes twinkled with  
mischief… "I could get you to relax, hmm?"  
  
Aeka clenched her fists into a ball, and was just about to …  
  
"Ryoko!"  
  
Aeka blinked at the sound of Tenchi's voice.  
  
"Please… don't do that! Aeka's here…" He cried, sounding nervous  
but also somewhat angry, and Ryoko's eyes swivelled to look at  
Aeka.  
  
"Er… Ooops, princess, heh sorry about that…" She stepped back  
from Tenchi, looking almost sheepish. "I just kinda forgot, so if you  
don't mind, could we just pretend this never happened?"  
  
The purple haired princess stared hard at Ryoko, and she tried to  
fight down her annoyance. From the bath, she knew it was likely  
Ryoko meant her apology in all honesty, but still the way she put it  
across was so offensive and trite, as though it were something she  
were saying for Tenchi to hear rather than for Aeka, something  
trivial and unimportant, and that made it so difficult for Aeka *not* to  
be annoyed even at the apology and feel even more like like  
screaming…  
  
"Aeka, please…" Tenchi murmured, stepping towards her, and with  
some effort, she managed not to. Her rationality returning, it was  
with some surprise that Aeka realised Ryoko was also looking on  
her reaction with some form of apprehension.  
  
"Fine, then." The princess answered, drawing herself up with some  
kind of dignity. "Forgiven, but not forgotten."   
  
"Oh, hi again! Kinda late to be still up, don't you think?" Tenchi,  
Aeka and Ryoko turned around, only to see Seion emerge from the  
bath. The Operative smiled cheerfully at them, a smile that looked  
even more ludicrous given that he was wearing one of Tenchi's  
pants, which came only halfway down his calves, and though it was  
baggy for the boy, it hugged his limbs tightly, almost as though it  
were skintight. "Sorry about it, but this thing just won't do for me."  
He threw Tenchi's shirt back at him, and the boy almost  
absent-mindedly caught it.  
  
Aeka was the first to look away, her face blushing. Ryoko continued  
looking, eyes wide. Sidling up beside Aeka… "Well what do you  
think!? Nice bod huh?" They had seen half of Seion's body before,  
but at the time he had been tired, half robed, dripping, and decked,  
while they had been rather distracted, but now as he emerged from  
his bath, freshness and energy simply exuded from him.  
  
Seion glanced at Aeka and Ryoko side by side, then winked at  
Tenchi. "Hey Tenchi, haven't you started in for the night yet? From  
the looks of things, looks like you ain't gonna get much rest  
tonight."  
  
Tenchi blinked, his face turning crimson as Seion laughed at the  
boy's discomfiture.  
  
"Hmm, so where's Kiyone?" He looked around. "It's her turn you  
know."  
  
"Well, she and Mitsuki they um… they're in the women's bath."  
  
"Oh, and where might that be…?"  
  
"Well, I'm not sure how to explain this, let me think on it a bit…"  
  
"Okay," Seion answered cheerily. "And while you're at it, care to  
show me a room?"  
  
====================================  
  
Mitsuki laughed pleasantly as her form broke through behind the  
stream of water. "All right!"  
  
Kiyone stood, eyes staring, watching in astonishment as Mitsuki,  
her face full of pleasure, emerged from behind the fall, while her  
mind continued groping around in confusion…  
  
Where… *what* is going on!?  
  
A sinking realisation descended on her gently as a feather, and  
struck her like a thunderbolt.  
  
"…" Strangled choking gasps arose from her throat, her face once  
again burning bright crimson, and ever so agonisingly slowly, with  
her entire body quivering with tension and apprehension, dappled  
with excitement and thrill as she felt her pulse race, she turned her  
head about seventy dregrees to her left to stare at the central  
fountain.  
  
Even through the watery screen that separated the two of them, her  
tremulous emerald eyes locked onto his quivering sapphires, and  
she could make out the shape of his head and shoulders behind the  
stream of water, sitting in the pool, with his back to the base of the  
bowl, that was between him and Mitsuki.  
  
In that fraction of a second, she could see that his entire face was as  
red as hers, and his gaze was guilty yet deferential, frightened yet  
awestruck. He too could see in her outraged and bewildered face,  
the barest flicker of arousal and joy as she was so admired…  
  
There was a splash as Kiyone threw herself away from him  
sideways into the water, letting out a muffled scream as she went  
underwater, her arms covering her body protectively, and her legs  
twining together, even as his hands flew up to his own face to cut  
off his own cry and cover his wretched eyes as he turned himself  
away from her direction.  
  
Washu, unable to control herself at the sight, burst out into another  
peal of laughter.  
  
"What's going on?" Mitsuki turned around at the commotion.  
Kiyone let her body remain underwater, as her eyes darted  
nervously from Mitsuki to somewhere else, too distraught to reply.  
Mitsuki followed her gaze and saw it led to the central fountain, but  
as far as she could tell, there was no one anywhere near it.  
  
Washu rapidly recovered from her fit of mirth. "Nah, just a private  
joke. Right, Kiyone?" She smiled. Kiyone nodded, face red and with  
her hands still hugging herself tightly.  
  
"Oh," replied Mitsuki, then seeing nothing was really addressed to  
her, went back to enjoying herself at the fountain.  
  
Kova, leaning against the base on the side away from Mitsuki and  
facing Washu, heaved a deep sigh of relief. "Kiyone-chan?" He  
whispered nervously, still gripping his head in his hands and  
covering his eyes, but she could not hear due to the tumult within  
her, the distance between them, as well as the sound of water  
cascading into the pool.  
  
Washu smiled, taking pity on the two, clearly desperate to  
communicate yet equally unwilling to even approach each other.  
Even Kova, of whom she still was somewhat wary, looked so  
pathetic she could not help but be reminded of Tenchi. "Well,  
Kiyone, if you don't want to talk, we might not get a chance to later,"  
she called out.  
  
Kova mentally thanked Washu yet again, but outwardly appeared  
unmoved, as Kiyone's eyes widened, hearing implicit message in  
Washu's words. However…  
  
I *can't* go near him like this!! I simply *can't*.  
  
"Erm… Washu?" Kiyone asked. "How was it you said I was to get to  
the rendezvous?"   
  
God I can't believe I am saying this… my face is still burning how the  
hell do I think so clearly?  
  
"Well, you could try to lie low and keep your head down," Washu  
suggested, a wry smile on her face. "Anyway I don't think he will be  
too wary, after all he doesn't have his eyes open or expects you to  
drop by again." She grinned.  
  
Kova restrained the impulse to applaud her masterfully veiled  
suggestions, and forced his hands to continue pressing very tightly  
to his face, while mentally praising the name of Washu. He was only  
too aware if she so desired it could have been utter hell for him and  
Kiyone, and at this particular moment was extremely gratified that  
apparently he had Washu as a friend rather than a foe.  
  
Kiyone mentally wrestled with herself… she couldn't see Kova  
clearly, and all she could make out was that his figure was hunched  
forward and very tense, with his face seemingly buried in his  
hands… about him not looking, she could only take Washu's word  
for it, something she was not that anxious to do, especially given  
Washu's latest vibes and manipulations on her.  
  
But she can't see him clearly either, can she? After all I'm closer to  
where he is…  
  
Well, then. Do I trust *him*?  
  
I'll have to, then… and besides…   
  
Her face contorted in a vicious grimace of vindictiveness.   
  
If he doesn't… I'll just have to show him exactly what I think of him  
doing that…  
  
Several of Washu's devices that she had glimpsed in the lab, most  
of which had been, unknown to Kiyone, used on Tenchi at one  
point or another, featured largely in her mind at this particular  
moment.  
  
Something in her was comforted at the idea of having someone or  
something she could definitely pay back fully after this was over,  
possibly with interest, but herself being Kiyone, she refused to  
admit to herself that this trait was a subtle part of her psychological  
make-up…  
  
Mitsuki frowned, as she observed them while feeling the water  
spray her back and wash over her skin. She was absolutely certain  
something fishy was going on, but it just didn't make sense, what  
*could* they be talking about? And of all places, here in the bath…  
something was fishy…  
  
"Erm… okay…" Kiyone murmured in reply, then rather than making  
for Washu, she carefully, cautiously half swam her way to the  
bronzed fountain bowl in the centre of the bath, taking pains to keep  
her hands before her chest and ensure every part of her body,  
except her head, was underwater.  
  
Mitsuki hummed to herself, pretending to be preoccupied with  
relaxing, but her eyes were surreptitiously following Kiyone's odd,  
almost stealthy movements, especially given that her colleague's  
face, the only visible part of her, was totally scarlet once again, and  
stuck out like a sore thumb against the light blue surface of water.  
  
Kiyone continued, repeating to herself, he isn't, he isn't looking at  
me…   
  
But there was no way of knowing for sure…   
  
Then her head passed under the watery screen, and she was under  
the bowl… She could see him, sitting up to his chest in the water,  
leaning against the base of the bowl's foundation, his face averted  
and eyes covered by his hands, long strands of blue hair glistening  
with water, straggling about the collars of his white long sleeved  
shirt. She could make out his physique beneath the wet white fabric,  
and there was a hole in the left shoulder of the shirt, where  
someone, ostensibly himself, had torn a hole, and there she could  
see were what looked like various spots of blood upon the dressing  
she had put on him earlier that night.  
  
"Are you all right?" She asked, her concern for propriety  
evaporating in the light of seeing fresh blood upon him, as well as  
with the knowledge he was not ogling at her.  
  
"Kiyone-chan?" He whispered, but he did not turn to face her, his  
voice hoarse and at once glad and fearful, almost reminiscent of the  
time he had appeared in the window of her apartment, only that this  
time it was also tinged with guilt and a lot more fear. "That you?"  
  
"Yes… how did you get that blood on your dressing?"   
  
The direction of her voice told him she was close by, slightly over a  
metre away only, and that her head was about level with his.  
  
"I'm fine, I suppose…" A touch of mirth crept into his otherwise  
tense speech. "A nosebleed is a small price to pay for seeing  
beautiful ladies in the nude..."  
  
Kiyone felt her face turn redder, and something in her bridled.  
  
He continued. "Or rather… for seeing *one* beautiful lady in the  
nude…"  
  
If it were anywhere else, Kiyone would have shouted 'Kova-chan!'  
and hit him in some way or another, but for now all she could do  
was try to fight down the blush and embarrassment. "How did you  
get here from the fountain at the back?"  
  
"What?" He asked, feigning astonishment. "You mean you don't  
want to hear how utterly delicious that red-headed cop friend of  
yours looked?"  
  
"Stop being such a pig!" She retorted, partially out of amusement  
but mostly out of irritation at his disconcerting coolness. "Don't you  
ever take anything seriously!?"  
  
"I take you seriously." He replied. "And I'd especially like to take  
*you* seriously *now*…" He shifted slightly in her direction, and  
laughed softly as the swirl and movement of water told him Kiyone  
had recoiled back from him.   
  
"Kova-chan!" It was almost inevitable, the cry escaped her lips  
before she could even actually think about it, almost an automatic  
reaction, but thankfully it was rather muted.  
  
"Well, provided I'm feeling accurately how the tide flows, if I make a  
sudden dive you're still well within tackling range." He shifted his  
hands aside, so that though they remained over his eyes, she could  
see the grin on his face. "How would you like that?"  
  
Yes how would I…?  
  
What the *hell* am I doing considering *that*!?  
  
Thus she almost screamed when suddenly his hands left his face  
and his body curled up out of the water as he stood up, poised as if  
to pounce on her… only his eyes were still closed tightly.   
  
In that instant, there was nothing Kiyone had ever hated and adored  
more than his expression of composed tumult, serene thrill, blissful  
fear and sober mirth.  
  
It's *not* fair! Why *is* he always so composed, and I the one taken  
by surprise?  
  
Her eyes narrowed.  
  
It's Kova-chan… Yeah, why can't I…?  
  
And she made her move as he lowered his arms.  
  
YOU'RE INSANE! The other side of her cried out, but already it was  
too late… Her shoulders rose up partially out of the water to meet  
his lowering hands.  
  
She watched as Kova froze, his fingers encountering moist, smooth  
skin of her shoulders, and continued watching with thrill as the  
blood rushed into the face above hers. There was a strangled gasp,  
as with a visible effort he struggled to keep his eyes shut, and his  
hands recoiled off her shoulders like they had touched hot iron, but  
she let herself rise slightly more out of the water before him, feeling  
the fingers touch her shoulder again, sending sparks of thrill down  
along her back, racing through her blood and accelerating her  
pulse…  
  
GET AWAY! The Kiyone inside tried to make herself heard.  
  
She watched, transfixed with some kind of awed relish as his facial  
tint turned through various deepening hues of scarlet, his eyelids  
pressed hard together, his mouth opening as if to scream but not  
making a sound, his entire body tense and his trembling fingers  
flushing hot and cold to her touch…  
  
She grinned wickedly, basking in his discomfiture. Heh, so how do  
*you* like being caught off balance… but oh this feels *good.*   
  
WHAT ARE YOU DOING!? YOU'RE NAKED FOR GOD SAKES!  
  
Tremors of thrilling terror took her as she realised what a position  
she had put herself in… if his eyes sprang open or his hands  
started roving downwards, she didn't know what she'd do…  
  
His entire body tingling, Kova gripped her shoulders firmly, almost  
as though he were telling his fingers not to let go of her, and he took  
a deep breath. She could feel him, fighting to stem the tide of  
hormones raging and surging within.  
  
Still not opening his eyes, he gently, as though in a dream, almost  
inexorably, pulled her close to him, and Kiyone felt her body tremble  
despite herself. But rather than pull her out of the water, he lowered  
himself back down…  
  
"Kova-chan?" She queried, excitement colouring her voice as his  
lips drew near…  
  
"Heh, Mitsuki!" A cheery lilting, voice announced behind her,  
coming from *way* too close. Kiyone's eyes opened wide as she  
turned to glimpse Washu barely three metres diagonally behind her,  
greeting someone who was coming in from the back of the pool.  
"Glad to see you like this place!"  
  
OHSHIT!  
  
Without thinking, or even looking back at Kova, Kiyone's right hand  
shot up to on top of his head and, as the swing of her foot  
underwater swept his legs out from under him, pushed his head  
down even as she stood up and stepped so she had her back faced  
to the right side of the pool…  
  
"Kiyone?" Mitsuki blinked, as her head passed through the watery  
screen to peer under the fountain, but all that met her eyes was  
Kiyone, bare back faced to her, looking over her right shoulder at  
her, her right hand presumably preoccupied with some kind of  
washing in front.  
  
"Yes, Mitsuki?" She asked, her honeyed tones masking her  
tremulous words.   
  
Her brows furrowed. "I had a hunch…" Then she shook her head.  
  
Kiyone's face was already turning almost purple although her mind  
was working rather hard, and to its credit successfully, at  
preventing the thought from sinking in. "Hunch?" Chanelling more  
mental resources into keeping the horrible realisation at bay, she  
temporarily lost her capacity for forming complete sentences.  
  
"No, never mind… what was it you and Washu were talking about?"  
  
"Washu? Ask."  
  
"Huh!?"  
  
"Ask." And with a visible effort of thought. "Washu."  
  
"Did I hear someone call my name?" The scientist asked cheerfully.  
"Just come over here and I'll tell you what you need to know."  
  
Mitsuki looked puzzled, but given that Kiyone looked rather  
ordinary, albeit a little inert, and that she was curious to how Kiyone  
made contact with their quarry, Mitsuki gave a quick last glance and  
made for Washu.  
  
If Kiyone had the capacity to sigh with relief, she would have, but  
she didn't, so she did not.   
  
Like a person waking up from an utterly bewildering nightmare or  
dream, she turned slowly around. There was no struggle in the  
water in front of her, the resistance that had been offered as she  
pushed his head down to just above the level of the water had  
ceased almost instantaneously, and she very hesitantly, her mind a  
complete blank, looked down.  
  
Kova's chin was just touching the water's surface, with a hand  
clapped over his mouth and nose, and though it seemed to be  
placed rather than pressed there, Kiyone could make out what  
looked like a trickle of red forcing itself out from between his fourth  
and fifth fingers, while a little blood was seeping through the base of  
his hand. His blue eyes were wide and staring straight ahead,  
looking unfocused and distant, and rather than actually looking at  
her body, seemed to be looking through her. This trait and that he  
was totally immobile and unmoving, made it only too easy to  
mistake him for a corpse if his face were pale rather than, as it were,  
flushed scarlet.  
  
Kiyone had little, if any time to be distraught, as another thought  
struck her.  
  
If Mitsuki turns around from talking to Washu, I'm dead.  
  
====================================  
  
Help… oh god help…  
  
DON'T FOCUS! DON'T FOCUS!  
  
It had been only natural for him to open his eyes the instant he  
heard Washu warn them, after all it was one thing to close his eyes  
before Kiyone and another to close his eyes before someone else  
that might try to kill him. Unfortunately for him the last thing he  
anticipated was Kiyone's reaction.  
  
Warm sticky moisture clung to his right hand, but his eyes occupied  
most of his attention, and the continued command *NOT* to let his  
glazed vision focus or start roving around was similarly occupying  
much of his will.  
  
Something smacked into his face, mercifully closing off his sight  
into a screen of blackness, and he felt the tension in the hand relax  
as its owner felt his eyes close beneath it, even as his mental  
faculties returned to almost their full potential.  
  
"Get ba…" The hissed words, full of angry outrage were barely out  
of her mouth before he stepped sideways into the portal underwater  
his left hand had opened beside his left leg…  
  
He emerged back in the hollow where he had originally hid, under  
the waterfall at the far end of the pool.  
  
Ahhh… safe…safe…  
  
His right hand left his face, and he breathed the warm air hungrily,  
while his hand's miniature reservoir splattered somewhat as he  
rubbed it off on his bandage. This in turn was soaked rather badly,  
as it had been submerged when Kiyone pushed him down, but he  
couldn't be bothered with that. Having recovered his breath, he  
splashed some water on his face, and carefully cleaned the blood  
off, taking care that most of it came off onto his hand rather than  
drip into the pool. Then, closing his eyes in fatigue, he leaned back  
against the rocky surface and gave a sigh of weary relief, trying to  
slow his furiously pounding heart.  
  
That's over with… thank heavens…   
  
His brows furrowed and his eyes opened to stare blankly at the  
stream of warm water shooting out over his head.  
  
*WHY* did she do that!? A voice screamed in his head.  
  
If a part of anyone's mind could roll its eyes, the part of his that  
retorted would have.  
  
Hey, am I reading you wrong, or you just nuts? You're complaining  
when the lady of your dreams has just placed herself naked into  
your arms?  
  
Well, she shouldn't have done *that*! That was *crazy* to do that  
back there!  
  
Heh, but you're still standing, she's still soaking and Mitsuki still  
hasn't seen you, seems pretty okay to me, you get my drift?  
  
But… but… that's not the point! That was *insane!*  
  
Well, you want to know what I see? I think you're upset about being  
taken by surprise like that.  
  
Yeah, well, so what if I am? He retorted.  
  
Look, she loves you enough to put her propriety on hold just so you  
aren't seen…  
  
But… *DAMNIT* does she know how I feel about *that*!? What if I  
had…!?  
  
The other side of him frowned, before letting loose a stinging  
reminder.  
  
Because she *trusts* you. While you, on the other hand, are being a  
god awful ungrateful bastard towards someone who loves you that  
much and has that much goodwill for you.  
  
Kova bridled, fought down his anger, then took a deep breath.  
  
Yeah, she must have meant it for the best, I suppose.  
  
Heaving a sigh as he exhaled, he lowered his eyes too look out over  
in front. Mitsuki and Washu were dragging a seemingly limp and  
lifeless Kiyone out from under the fountain. From the look on  
Washu's face, she was giving some form of lighthearted excuse,  
that would be undoubtedly plausible, but nevertheless still not  
readily accepted by Mitsuki, who looked suspicious still.  
  
Poor Kiyone-chan. It must have been hard on her too.  
  
Guilt welled up within him, as he thought about all that she had been  
through just this one night, and while it certainly had not been that  
easy for him, it must have been many times worse for her.  
  
Casting his gaze out again, he saw that the group had moved to the  
furthest side of the pool, that Kiyone had been revived, and was  
apparently watching with interest, likely feigned, as Washu told  
Mitsuki various things.  
  
Not for the first time did he marvel at her immense strength of  
character and ability to recover, but never so keenly as now. While  
he had no doubts of his own fortitude, the knowledge that she was  
as strong, if not stronger than himself, blossomed and bloomed in  
his heart like a homely flower, danced like the flames in a homely  
fireplace, comforting him with its radiance and warming his entire  
being, with the certain affirmation that she was truly the soulmate he  
had been dreaming of for so long, even though she was an agent  
for rather than against the law.  
  
Maybe, just maybe, I saw this, and more, when I first looked upon  
your face.  
  
The photograph he saw on board the Yagami flashed in his mind,  
and he smiled, tenderly, gratefully, and with a mild touch of  
wistfulness, as he watched her distant, blurred and misted form…  
  
Thus I count my blessings. Thank you, Kiyone-chan.  
  
====================================  
  
"How long have you known Kiyone and Mihoshi, Tenchi?" Seion  
asked, as Tenchi showed him the way. The pair looked odd, almost  
lopsided, with Seion practically a foot taller than Tenchi.  
  
"Oh, it's been a while. I guess about a year, maybe?" Tenchi looked  
ahead where they were going. "Mind you this is not exactly a guest  
room, those quarters…"  
  
"Trust me, I've slept through some really bad places." Seion  
cracked his knuckles. "Usually only after putting others to sleep  
first."  
  
Tenchi took a look at the size of his fists, and pressed his lips  
together nervously.  
  
"Just so long as I am reasonably far from Mitsuki, it will be fine." He  
said. "Do me a favour, willya? Could you see her back to Kiyone  
and Mihoshi's apartment? I'm sure she'd be at least as happy as me  
to oblige."  
  
"Erm, sure…" Tenchi replied. It didn't seem right to pry into others'  
affairs, so he judiciously kept quiet. As they passed by Mihoshi's  
room, Seion gave a wry smile, for the sight of it returned him to his  
previous topic.  
  
"What are they like, Tenchi? What do you know about Kiyone and  
Mihoshi?" He asked, his voice oddly gentle again. "What do they  
like? What's their favourite food?"  
  
"Well, from what I know they seem to…" Tenchi's mind stumbled  
around a little bit, as it suddenly struck him that although he had  
known the two Galaxy Police Officers for over a year, he had little, if  
any idea, what their likes and dislikes were. "Well, Mihoshi likes  
eating a *lot*, and Kiyone basically likes good food too, especially  
Sasami's. I get the feeling everyone around here simply loves  
Karaoke, except maybe me…"  
  
"Karaoke?" Seion asked. "What's that?"  
  
"Huh? Oh… just a simple machine, they play a song then you take a  
microphone and sing according to the tunes and the words on the  
television. Sometimes when they feel like it they get a score up to  
see how well you sing."  
  
"Oh, that." He had occasionally remembered dropping by to see  
some of his friends singing, but it never occurred to him to join in,  
ask what it was or when it would be his turn to sing. Generally not  
one for music, he usually just preferred drinking and laughing while  
he was off duty, occasionally a fling when there was someone  
willng and nice enough, but the only time he dimly remembered  
singing off someone else's shoulder was when he was drunk, and  
those occasions had lessened as he grew older. "So that's what it's  
called."  
  
"Oh well, this is the only spare room we have left," Tenchi said as he  
opened the room just off Mihoshi's. Seion looked around at the  
cramped quarters. There was a futon on the floor and just enough  
space to put a small table in the middle of the room, there was a fan,  
a rolled up futon in the corner, and the window seemed pretty okay,  
large compared to the room but decent…  
  
"Yeah, thanks. Will do…"  
  
"Anything I can do to make you more comfortable?" Tenchi asked,  
out of common courtesy.  
  
Wait a minute! This is *my* house! Why do I always act like I'm some  
kind of hotel bellboy!? Especially when I don't even think I like  
having even more people from outer space dropping by here!?  
  
You're just too nice, Tenchi… Aeka and Ryoko's voices laughed at  
him from a corner of his mind.  
  
"Sure!" Seion replied cheerily, taking Tenchi's words at face value.  
"Ya mind staying here and telling me more about Kiyone and  
Mihoshi?"   
  
Tenchi blinked in surprise. "Uh, sure." Something about the  
gregarious Operative drew Tenchi to him… "Glad to help!"  
  
You're doing it again!  
  
"But I don't have much time more," Tenchi reminded. "Ryoko and  
Aeka…"  
  
"Oh don't worry about them," Seion's eyes twinkled. "Once we're  
done I could give you some tips on how to keep them *happy*, so  
they ain't gonna mind you staying here a while."  
  
Urk… oh no not again.  
  
Seion ignored Tenchi's look of dread. "So what else about Kiyone  
and Mihoshi?"  
  
"Well, Mihoshi can get a little silly at times," he winced as he  
remembered during their adventures in Space, when the bar they  
had set up to earn money exploded in a blaze of orange flame  
behind them because Mihoshi had turned the gas up instead of  
down. "She tends to overlook things."  
  
"Well, I can take care of that," Seion beamed. "And I'll bet she's  
smart though, in some ways." He still felt somehow that Mihoshi  
*had* been right when she told Seion and Mitsuki not to follow after  
Kiyone when she had left the apartment.  
  
"Can't say I've noticed." Tenchi answered drily, as he thought about  
what Mihoshi had said that night in Washu's lab. "Say, what is it  
about you and Mihoshi?"  
  
"Oh me and Mihoshi?" Seion's face a little too blank. "Uh, nothing…  
we just kinda met and I think she's kinda cute…" His voice died  
under Tenchi's withering gaze. "Oh, okay, make that cute." Tenchi  
didn't let up. "Alright I admit it, she's *very* cute…"  
  
Tenchi rolled his eyes. "I mean, does she like you?"  
  
"You know, I ain't too sure about that," Seion mumbled, voicing a  
thought which disturbed him all the more immensely now he had  
admitted it. From past experiences, given his good looks and hot  
body, he was rather well received by ladies, although he took care  
to pick those who would not be overtly affected by him. Generally  
when he wasn't well received, he at least knew where he stood with  
the person. Take Mitsuki for example, they both knew the intense  
dislike was mutual almost right from the start. Sadly it had to be the  
just *after* they left the headquarters, when Mitsuki was screaming  
insubordination as he flagrantly ignored the direct orders to return,  
so here they were stuck with one another. On the other hand  
Mihoshi, as well as Kiyone, were almost complete puzzles to him…  
"I'm not even sure she views me as a friend."  
  
Tenchi nodded to himself, absorbing this new piece of information.  
He could hear Mihoshi in the lab, asking Washu if the new cops  
were friends, if she had to go against them… But then again if he  
was any judge, this man was sincere, and there *was* indeed,  
despite his informal speech, this feeling of friendly care, like he was  
looking out for you, that made this person feel positively Kiyone-ish,  
which in Tenchi's mind would make Mihoshi feel comfortable, at  
least.  
  
"What about Kiyone then?" Seion probed.  
  
"Huh?" Tenchi was shaken out of his thoughts, and hurriedly  
rattled an answer off. "Well she insists on living in a separate  
apartment rather than stay here, so she and Mihoshi has to go work  
several part time jobs almost everyday, though they drop by for  
meals and to bathe. I think she takes her work as a Galaxy Police  
Officer a little too seriously though…"  
  
Seion waved a dismissive hand. "Yeah, been through her career  
records and files. I mean does she have any close friends here,  
anything or anyone she really likes around here?" He grinned.  
  
"Well she just got a boyfr…" the boy stopped, his eyes wide and  
staring, his lips half parted in shock. Mihoshi's tremulous voice  
resounded in his mind…  
  
'Some… some Galaxy Police officers have joined us. I… think they  
want to get Kova.'  
  
Tenchi you *baka*! You almost let it slip!  
  
"Yes, and he is…?" Seion pressed, his voice sounding a little  
urgent. "Who is he, what does he… Hey Tenchi!?" He started as the  
boy quickly got to his feet.  
  
"Uh sorry Seion, got to go! I think Aeka and Ryoko are getting  
impatient!" He turned to make for the door, and only with some  
effort did he prevent himself from breaking into a run.  
  
"Wait a second! Tell me!" Seion hurriedly sprang up, just barely  
managing to restrain himself from grabbing Tenchi by the hand.  
"Don't you want to learn how to make Aeka and Ryoko happy?"  
  
"No not now! Some other time maybe!" Then the door slid shut  
behind Tenchi's back, in front of Seion's face.  
  
The Operative slumped down.  
  
'You know, I was so scared when Kiyone got a…'  
  
Almost exactly where Mihoshi had kept quiet about it…  
  
DAMNIT so I know she's got a man! Big deal! Why don't you just  
come out and tell me who he is? He just *might* be able to help  
me…  
  
Unless… she's in love with someone I mustn't know about?  
  
His green eyes widened, as he remembered how she had attacked  
Kova at exactly the point he was about to open fire, and the way she  
had been allowed to execute an impossible throw without having to  
choke on metal.  
  
Could it be…!? *NONONO* It can't be!  
  
Seion growled at the darkness of the room, snarling at himself.  
  
Don't be an idiot, man! How could even *think* that of *her*?  
  
I think I need a break…  
  
Not bothering to unroll it, Seion lay his head back on the futon and  
stared up at the ceiling.  
  
====================================  
  
"I'm having that kind of feeling when you feel like you really  
shouldn't be wasting any more time in one place," Mitsuki  
commented for what seemed like the umpteenth time, and Kiyone  
ground her teeth in frustration as the next sentence followed,  
almost as certainly as night follows day. "But this is *so* nice I really  
want to stay there that little while more…"  
  
Keep quiet, Kiyone muttered angrily to herself, trying to stifle her  
reply. She still remembered what had happened the last time Mitsuki  
made that comment and she had replied…  
  
"Mitsuki, you know you really should be going," Kiyone had tried to  
keep her voice level. "We've been soaking for quite a while now,  
you know."  
  
"Why don't you leave first, Kiyone?" Mitsuki had asked archly. She  
seemed dissatisfied with the explanation Washu had given about  
how she was referring earlier to contacting the criminal Kova  
Kashiro for negotiations, but there seemed to be no way to fault the  
explanation, so she had kept quiet. When Kiyone had openly asked  
her to leave, Mitsuki had quite naturally decided she *should* stay  
longer, and obstinately planted herself down, up until now.  
  
Kiyone herself would have left much earlier, except for the  
somehow pressing desire not to leave Kova alone in the bath with  
two practically naked women she herself acknowledged were both  
quite attractive after their own fashion. It was also with some kind of  
trepidation that she realised after the worst, which was when she  
had pushed his head down, she was no longer that self conscious.  
  
Oh damnit, why don't Washu and Mitsuki would both leave…  
  
Stop that!  
  
So, you want to be alone… how wonderful that would be, she heard  
laughter mock her from within.  
  
Stop thinking these thoughts!  
  
Well, Kova-chan and I need to talk about some things…  
  
Oh, I'm sure you have lots of things to talk about while not wearing  
any clothes, right?  
  
Shut up! I'm not in the mood for that! Too much is happening!  
  
Heh, that means you *were* in the mood, weren't you?  
  
I said SHUT UP!  
  
Mitsuki watched Kiyone, eyes closed in seeming serenity as she  
fought herself. Seeing she was not replying to her comment, Mitsuki  
then swivelled her eyes, to see Washu at ease in the pool still.  
  
"Hello, I said I was going to leave?" She asked. "But I'm not  
because it's so nice in here?"  
  
Silence. The only sound was the burbling of the water from the  
fountain at the back cascading down and babbling of the water  
flowing over the bowl in the centre of the pool to break the bath's  
surface.  
  
Mitsuki waited a while more, but nothing changed, except that  
Kiyone was breathing more easily now, having subdued her teasing  
side. Humming to herself, Mitsuki splashed herself with more of the  
warm water, but Washu and Kiyone seemed not to notice.  
  
She gave a sigh.  
  
All right, you win…  
  
====================================  
  
"Ryoko!" Aeka cried. "You're not supposed to be in here!"  
  
"Relax, Aeka!" The space pirate's eyes twinkled. "Besides you're in  
here too…" She grinned at the princess. "Why not join me then?"  
She winked, and Aeka blushed. "Then Tenchi will have to choose…  
or not get any sleep tonight!"  
  
"RYOKO!" Aeka cried out, her face burning. "Get out from under  
there!"  
  
"Aww, the princess is *chicken*!" Ryoko laughed. "How nice of you  
to let me go first, I'm sure Tenchi will *really* appreciate it…" the  
space pirate snuggled up deeper under the covers.  
  
"I am NOT chicken!"  
  
"Then come jump in the sack and we'll wait together then! I'm  
feeling generous tonight, we could share…"  
  
"GRRRRRRRR…!" Aeka resisted the impulse to jump on the bed  
and wrestle Ryoko out from under the covers. It would be an utter  
disaster if Tenchi came into his bedroom to see her and Ryoko  
fighting for a position on his bed in the middle of the night.  
  
She shuddered at the blow to her dignity, as well as that of Jurai's, if  
that should happen.  
  
Anyway it wouldn't do to mess up his bed, either.  
  
Beneath the covers Ryoko sighed in bliss. Tenchi had just lay down  
here not long ago, and, as she could tell, had been tossing and  
turning quite a bit, for the bed and covers felt warm to her touch.   
  
A touch of bitterness crept into her mind at this stage as she  
thought what she originally came in here for.  
  
It's just too bad I didn't get to see them… but I'm sure he must have  
them somewhere around, he loved them… up to the point Aeka  
started look like she would be bawling.  
  
At this point a voice shattered her stream of consciousness.  
  
"Aeka!?"   
  
Ryoko recognised Tenchi's voice, and swore.  
  
DAMN! He came back too quickly, Aeka's still here.  
  
"Yes, Tenchi?" Aeka spun around from looking at his bed, her face  
sheepish and a little crimson.  
  
"What are you doing in my room, Aeka?" He stood, staring  
bewildered at her. It wasn't often that Aeka came into his room, and  
certainly not uninvited in the middle of the night.  
  
"Erm… er Ryoko came in saying she wanted to look for something  
and I came in to make sure she didn't mess up your room."  
  
"She did, did she?" Tenchi looked about the room, noting that  
everything seemed in order, unlike the mess he would have  
expected if Ryoko had just been through everything. "Where is  
she?"  
  
Oh bother… Ryoko thought.  
  
"Here!" Aeka announced, pulling back the covers of his bed.  
  
"Hey, AEKA!" Ryoko snarled. "You had to go and do that, didn't  
you!?"  
  
Tenchi looked at the two of them and a sweatdrop formed behind  
his head…  
  
Maybe I should have stayed longer with Seion.  
  
Someone tapped his shoulder from behind."Excuse me, Tenchi?"  
  
Tenchi nearly jumped out of his skin, before bringing himself to turn  
around, only to see Mitsuki, fiery hair still dripping, standing behind  
him. "Do you happen to know where I could find a towel and  
something else to wear, then maybe somewhere to sleep?" She  
was in her GP uniform, but it was wet. It seemed she had put on her  
clothes without drying herself.  
  
"I…" He wracked his mind. "I think Kiyone's wardrobe in her  
apartment should have some clothes to fit you, then maybe you  
could go sleep in there…"  
  
"Oh, okay then."  
  
"This way…" Tenchi was about to show her the way when Mitsuki  
just stepped past him.  
  
"Forget it, I think I know how." She rapped smartly on the wall by  
the bathroom door, and stepped through it into the apartment.  
  
Hmm, Tenchi thought. Nice to know at least not all the girls are so  
dependant on me.  
  
Turning around he looked back into his room.  
  
"Huh?" He asked as he saw Aeka and Ryoko looking dismally at  
him. "Err, what's wrong? What did I do!?"  
  
"Tenchiii…!" Ryoko cried, distraught, sitting up on his bed.  
  
Aeka remained silent, but her gaze of reprehension did not let up.  
  
Oh damned, Tenchi thought. I just ignored both of them when they  
were inside my bedroom in the middle of the night for a practical  
stranger, who just simply *HAD* to be a lady…  
  
"Oh come on, look Ryoko, Aeka, I…" He stepped into the room…  
  
Aeka's face twitched and her eyes widened, as she realised  
something.  
  
Tenchi blinked as Ryoko disappeared from on his bed.  
  
Did I just glimpse a grin on her face!?  
  
"Heheheh…" Then the sound of the door behind him sliding shut.   
  
OH NO!!!  
  
====================================  
  
A little while ago…  
  
"Whew…" Kiyone heaved a sigh of relief as Mitsuki finally quit the  
bath, and stood up to face to her left at the other female occupant of  
the bath. "Washu, could you hand me one of your towels now,  
please?"  
  
The scientist looked at her and grinned. "What do you think,  
Kiyone?"  
  
"WASHU!!" Kiyone howled, only to see the smirk on the scientist's  
face. Almost desperately, her head turned left to look at her neat pile  
of dry clothing by the side of the pool.  
  
Will take me at least three seconds to get out from here over to them  
and five more to put them on… Too long damnit!  
  
Kiyone felt the water behind her ripple slightly, and her heart  
skipped a beat.  
  
"K… Kova-chan?" To her surprise, she felt wet, warm cloth settle  
over her shoulders and back.  
  
"Thought you might want something to cover at least the part of  
you above water." He whispered gently behind her.  
  
"Thank you…" Her face blushed scarlet, as she clasped the white  
long sleeved business shirt draped over her form closer to herself,  
so it covered her front.  
  
He's not wearing any shirt!  
  
Big deal. You're not wearing any pants…  
  
Kiyone's face reddened further.  
  
And he's standing behind you…  
  
Kiyone felt a tear of desperate shame form in her eyes, but even  
then something in her rejoiced as the thrill born of animal desires  
started to form again in her blood.  
  
Kova blinked, as he noticed Kiyone lean forward away from him,  
pulling her left hand holding his shirt close to herself as her right  
hand tried to push the edges down so it would cover the parts of  
her beneath the water, and all the while trying to make herself as  
small as possible.  
  
No no don't touch her don't try to comfort her! Might lose control…  
  
Looking over Kiyone's shoulder at the sniggering Washu three  
metres ahead of him, he flashed the professor a questioning glance.  
"Now what did I do wrong?"  
  
"Well…" Washu smiled. "You should have blindfolded her face with  
your shirt from behind then tackled her from underwater."   
  
Kova's face flushed crimson as her words set his imagination  
working and his blood pumping.  
  
"Oh yeah, and maybe take off your pants." Washu added as an  
afterthought.  
  
"SHUT UP WASHU!" Kiyone screamed, looking up. She had got her  
hands in through the sleeves, with her left shoulder's bare skin  
showing through the tear in the shirt, and had buttoned the thing  
on. Now both her hands were occupied in keeping the lower  
portions of the shirt down rather than letting them float on the  
surface of the water.  
  
Kova winced as he heard the anger and torment in Kiyone's voice,  
even though it was not directed at himself. "I'm sorry…" He  
mumbled, sounding hurt and guilty. Kiyone sensed movement  
behind her, then Kova stepped out of a portal, standing bare bodied  
from waist up, in front of the sliding door to the bath. "I should be  
going." His hand landed on the door.  
  
The image of him about to walk out of the Karaoke room the night  
before flashed in Kiyone's mind. "Wait!" She called out before she  
could even think coherently.   
  
Kova froze.   
  
She wants me to stay in here with her…  
  
But he didn't look back, didn't say a word.  
  
Washu looked faintly amused at Kiyone, who answered weakly.  
"Mitsuki might still be in the corridor."  
  
"Oh," was all Kova said, his voice tense. "You want me to look away  
as you dress?"  
  
"I… I'll dress later…" Kiyone mumbled, the scarlet on her face  
deepening, as Kova's face flushed further and a nervous but happy  
smile formed on his face. Neither of them dared to even think about  
what the other might have in mind at that comment, and if Kova  
thought he was astonished by Kiyone, Kiyone was even more  
bewildered at herself.  
  
"Ah well, then!" Washu hoisted herself out of the pool. "I'll try to  
hurry this and not keep both of you waiting too long…" Walking  
over to her uniform, she donned it and slipped the towels out from  
under her dress, deliberately leaving them on the ground a good  
distance from Kiyone. "Kashiro?"   
  
"Yes?" Kova turned to face her, then walked over to pick up one of  
the towels. Kiyone smiled gratefully as he tossed it towards her.  
Washu watched him, seeming trying to stop herself from laughing at  
his actions. "Yes, professor?"  
  
"So, do you want her or not?" Washu asked, smiling at the man  
who stood almost two feet taller than her.  
  
"Er…" Kova struggled for an answer, and would have blushed  
deeper if that had been possible. "What's the relevance,  
professor?"  
  
"Oh, nothing," Washu laughed to herself. Kiyone frowned in  
displeasure but decided to keep her thoughts to herself, for despite  
the situation the rational part of her was interested in hearing what  
things of import Washu would have to say.   
  
"So what do you want?" There was a hint of impatience in Kova's  
voice.  
  
"I want to you to remove the Tachyon Ray from your ship and give it  
to me."  
  
"Piece of cake. And I won't build more of those either." He watched  
Washu carefully as the professor nodded, perfectly composed.  
"This can't be all, there's more to it, right?"  
  
"Yes, you're right." Washu answered, and she stepped back so she  
could have both Kiyone and Kova in sight. "No more dimensional  
rift creators, apart from that weapon of yours, no more weaponry or  
technology from the Science Academy leaking out to anyone."  
  
Kova frowned slightly. He never was one to appreciate being  
ordered around.  
  
But it's the very least I could do for our sake, for mine and  
Kiyone's…  
  
"That's okay too, I guess." He arched his eyebrows questioningly.  
"What's the real problem now?"  
  
"Simple really - where are you two heading?" Washu would  
normally have put it more plainly, but facing Kashiro and Kiyone  
she knew they would be up to understanding the question.  
  
"We're not sure yet…" Kiyone murmured, still wearing the shirt,  
while around her was wound the towel Kova had tossed to her.  
  
"Why would that be any of your business, professor?" Kova asked,  
eyeing Washu suspiciously. "You don't take my word about not  
letting any more of these weapons' technology out?"  
  
Washu's eyes narrowed. "In case you forgot, Kashiro, you're not  
Kiyone's only friend."  
  
Kova paused, then nodded. "Point taken." He licked his lips. "I'd like  
to think we're trying for the light. But if we fail…"  
  
"Then you will take her and disappear."  
  
"Aye." Kova nodded. "If I'm still alive by then." He smiled wistfully.  
"But then our children wouldn't have an aunt Mihoshi or a professor  
Washu to look up to… and I don't even want to think what might  
happen if Seida found us again."  
  
Kiyone bowed her head, her heart aching as she realised exactly  
how much Kova set store by her own happiness, by her being  
allowed to keep her jobs and friends.   
  
It is more for my sake than his own that he is willing to go through  
with this.  
  
"Kova-chan… if it's too dangerous, we don't have to." To Kiyone's  
surprise she managed to keep her voice low and steady, rather than  
tremulous as she had expected.  
  
"No, this is for the long term," he turned to look at her, his blue eyes  
steely, his face fixed in that mask of stubborn determination. "Since  
I've met you I've dreamed of walking beside you in the light, to  
finally be absolved of my dark past, to be able to take you up the  
aisle and affirm before the universe our union."   
  
Kiyone and Washu couldn't be certain, but in that moment, as he  
spoke that sentence his face seemed to light up, his eyes blaze with  
gentle blue fire and his demeanour shone as that of a man, who, by  
aspiring towards lofty heights and wondrous visions, could be lifted  
up by that promise of the future to shine as a beacon of hope. Then  
as quickly as it came, it left, leaving him unaltered, and his voice  
continued, morose again.  
  
"The life of crime may be rather safe at times, but still more  
dangerous than I'd care to try and raise a family in. Besides…" his  
voice became low, as he thought of Tenchi, that queer but earnest  
boy, Sasami, the young but wise princess, and almost to his own  
surprise, Washu, who though irritating at times, has certainly  
proven herself to be a friend. "I think I may have found some friends  
of my own too."  
  
Kiyone found herself smiling gratefully at the way he unhesitatingly  
declared he *would* have her for a bride, although in the past she  
would have been riled that any man would dare presume she was  
exclusively his alone and not her own. "All right, we'll try for that,  
then." Then her tone became stern, and the barest touch of chill fear  
entered her words. "But don't you *dare* die on me."  
  
"Ahem," Washu cleared her throat. "It's all nice and easy to say that  
you're going to get this and that done, but don't you think it's about  
time the two of you got some more concrete plans out?"  
  
"Later," Then Kova and Kiyone blinked as they realised they had  
answered together.  
  
Washu's smile broadened. "Fine, then. More importantly, and closer  
to now, there are two cops out there waiting for you, Kashiro. As for  
you, Kiyone, I don't know if you've simply been too caught up with  
your own affairs, but I tell you Mihoshi is not taking this well. She  
came into my lab just now, crying confused and upset about the  
situation. She thinks she has lost you and now to defend you, she  
has to give up the other half of her identity, her job, and it got pretty  
bad back there."  
  
Kiyone bit her lip guiltily, as she realised she had indeed forgotten  
about Mihoshi, and wondered how much pain Mihoshi must have  
been in to leave a lasting impression on Washu. "I… I'll go talk to her  
about it."  
  
"That would help, but it's more than just that." Washu murmured.  
"We need to clear the air, especially because I think it hurts you and  
Mihoshi the most. I presume you and Kashiro masqueraded one of  
your run-ins just now?" Washu was inferring the existence of such  
an encounter from Seion's earlier statement about how they had  
fought a dangerous criminal.  
  
"Yeah," Kova replied. Washu pointedly continued looking in  
Kiyone's direction, and Kova just noticed a shadow settle over  
Kiyone at the memory of her distressed dilemma, before it lifted  
slightly. "You're still sore at me over that, Kiyone-chan?" He asked,  
uncertainly.  
  
Kiyone nodded dumbly, deliberately not meeting his gaze.  
  
Washu looked at his pained expression. "Get my point, Kashiro?"  
  
He ground his teeth together. "Should think so."  
  
"What's between you and her, is up to the two of you to sort out.  
But I think both of you must do away with these acts. Maybe find  
some way to get them out of the way, or send them back to  
Headquarters, but if you can't and they're going to be hanging  
around these parts for a good while, I want you to avoid any more  
confrontations."  
  
"Yes, professor," Kova sounded strained at accepting unsolicited  
orders, but he knew she was right. "Maybe I'll try to bring out  
another Yoda Shiro."  
  
"That'd be good, but only as a temporary measure." Washu nodded.  
"You'll need a more permanent arrangement, maybe even come  
clean, and I strongly, strongly advise you, Kashiro, against killing  
them." Kova grimaced a little as he thought how often that thought  
had crossed his mind. "I'll be leaving the two of you now, especially  
becauseI think you have more than just a little to sort out." So  
saying, Washu pushed past Kova and went out the door, leaving  
both of them alone in the bath.  
  
There was silence, then Kova settled himself cross legged on the  
floor, facing Kiyone, who was still soaking in the bath. After the  
serious issues had been brought up by Washu, neither of them was  
in any mood for what they might otherwise have been looking  
keenly forward to.  
  
Uncertainly, Kova moved from his lotus position into a half crouch,  
and approached her much the way he would creep across a rooftop  
to an apartment he was about to break into. "You're upset,  
Kiyone-chan."  
  
"You know why." She muttered, then suddenly the resentfulness in  
her tone disappeared, and she sighed wearily. "I'm sorry, I didn't  
mean to be angry with you, just that…"  
  
"Hush, it's okay, you've had a rough night." He moved closer, so he  
was sitting on the edge of the pool, his feet dangling into the water  
in front of her. "You're tired, there's a lot of reasons to be upset. We  
have to start somewhere…" He watched, worried as she tried to  
hold back. "Let it out, tell me, be frank - how did you like it when I  
held you hostage?"  
  
"Oh *yes* that was *good*." Kiyone answered acidly, the anger  
creeping back in as she took Kova's advice and ceased  
suppresssing her emotions. "Do you have any *idea* what it feels  
like to see you look at me that way!? Like you didn't know me, like  
you didn't love me, like you wanted nothing more than to rip my  
guts out!?"   
  
"I thought you trusted me…" He tried plaintively to snatch a word,  
and tried to stay calm…  
  
Let her vent her steam, she needs to.  
  
"Oh, *that*." She looked up at him, her green eyes blazing, and  
Kova flinched. "It's easy to trust you as you are now, but do you  
have any idea how difficult it is to trust some deadly space villain?"  
  
"I thought that would make you and I act more naturally…"  
  
"Yeah, it did all right," Kiyone snarled. "My arms still hurt, and my  
throat is bruised. Natural, right. Natural that the man I love would  
twist my arm behind me, and threaten me in a different voice." She  
tried to blink away the tears as she remembered her fears. "I  
couldn't see or feel you at all, at the time… it was like I was  
completely alone… I couldn't see your eyes, or your face. I could  
only feel the forceful lock on my back, and the cold metal at my  
throat. Your voice, it was different, somebody else's… It felt like I  
was being held at the mercy of some strange criminal, not you, not  
you…"  
  
Kova pressed his lips tight together, knowing there was nothing he  
could say. He knew what he had done, he knew that in those  
moments, there could have been no way Kiyone have in any way  
sensory way identified the person holding her as himself, apart from  
knowing inside her brain. He thought about Seion. "Thank you…"  
  
"I should have let him shoot your brains out." Kiyone sat back,  
leaning against the side of the pool and feeling marginally better  
now that she had let some of the pent up pressure out. "You  
bastard." She wasn't smiling, but at least her face looked neutral  
now, and the tone, rather than vehement, was even, so it seemed  
rather like she was addressing him fondly rather than damning him.  
  
"Yeah, and this bastard would have deserved it," he managed to  
smile, seeing she was a little better, at least somewhat more  
receptive. "That's the problem with me, when I choose to act or  
disguise myself, I *become* the person." He mused to himself,  
seeming almost self deprecating.  
  
Kiyone smiled, just a little. "I think that's what kept you alive so  
long."  
  
"No, it nearly killed me, at least my character. I still remembered  
when I got to the Science Academy, just wanted to get a new ship  
with good technology so I could have fun out there. Then I became  
Yoda Shiro, an erratic scientist guy, kind of a bookworm. While I still  
delighted in intrigues and outwitting others, I found myself  
garnering an interest for my studies themselves, for the subjects I  
took up. I might have stayed longer at the Academy, except  
something told me Washu had an eye on me, and even after I left, I  
realised I had no intention of ever using the Tachyon Ray I had  
installed on my ship, because Yoda was such a peaceable guy. If I  
had you would probably have no Headquarters left to return to. " He  
shook his head, amused. "Sometimes I do such stupid things.  
Imagine being influenced by a person who doesn't even exist."  
  
"Hmm, so you become what you act as..." Kiyone smiled at the  
thought. "Did you fall in love with me because you pretended to do  
so?"  
  
Kova looked sheepish. "Actually, love was the last thing on my  
mind practically all my life up to the instant I saw your picture. And  
even then I was disgusted at having fallen for a cop."  
  
"True, if I didn't love you back that would have given you a lifespan  
of glass basketball. And that's why you gave me a chance to blast  
you out of the window, so you could make a break for it," Kiyone  
considered this alter ego aspect of Kova.  
  
Hmm, he even *drinks* when he's acting as someone else, although  
it seems he can't like it much for his tolerance threshold is pretty  
low, Kiyone thought as she remembered the encounter at the bar a  
few hours ago.  
  
"I suppose becoming what you want to appear as yields excellent  
results, right?"  
  
"It does." Kova nodded. "That's why I do it, because I'm the best,  
and it makes me feel like a different person for a while. That makes  
my life… interesting." Then he brightened up further. "But now I  
have you my life's interesting enough already."  
  
Although Kova had meant it in jest, Kiyone sobered up at the  
thought.  
  
Yes, there are matters that make our life… interesting.  
  
"All right, I accept your explanation…"  
  
"Thank you, Kiyone-chan." His voice was soft and lined with  
gratitude.  
  
"I'll just have to live with it, and trust you, even if it might be hard at  
times," Kiyone nodded. "And *you*, have to trust that I will always  
love you, and you only."  
  
"I'll try," Kova nodded, remembering his outburst in the alley and in  
Mihoshi's room. "But I don't know it seems that are so many other  
people that might suit you better…"  
  
"Well, that's a problem. It's a give and take." Kiyone's face  
hardened, and for a moment Kova wondered if he had gone wrong  
again, half a second before he understood her mind had moved on.  
"So, are you really going to try to get that pardon?"  
  
"Yes." He answered, his voice firm.   
  
"What… what if it falls through?"  
  
"Then… will you leave with me?"  
  
"Only if you really want to." Kiyone answered softly. "I'm thankful  
you know how much my work means to me, but please if you think  
the odds are too high you really could say we ought to give up…"  
Her pitch sunk even lower. "I don't want you risking your life just to  
make me that little bit happier."  
  
"I'll be frank, Kiyone-chan. The odds aren't very good now. But we  
will try to make them better before we finally let them bring me to  
trial before the tribunal." He smiled a little. "And don't lie, I know it  
means more than a little bit to you, and *that* makes it the world to  
me."  
  
"Yes, I suppose so," Kiyone nodded slowly, her expression grim.  
"But there's no way you can get by with over fifty ship raids and  
suspected of over a hundred more. We must get evidence that you  
have been framed."  
  
"Exactly."  
  
"And that would mean getting to Seida and into the Synerean  
territory."  
  
Kova watched her intently. He had an inkling she would piece out  
his plan, even though it had hardly manifested within his own mind,  
and he trusted to her intellect enough to let her articulated thoughts  
guide his own and limit himself to responding accordingly.  
  
It's our future we shape here, Kiyone-chan. Let's shape it together.  
  
"We'll get the blueprints for the Tachyon Ray back as well." He  
added.  
  
Kiyone brightened up a little as she saw thought she saw the  
faintest glimmer of light ahead. "And so prevent the outbreak of  
war."  
  
"If we can get rid of Seida, once the statute of limitations for my  
Syndicate Spy Service comes into effect about three months from  
now, it will liquidate my background data."  
  
"And no one in the Syndicate will be after you any more either,  
provided no one else knows of your involvement with the Tachyon  
Ray." Her eyes became distant and shimmered with something  
resembling fervent hope. "Being the principal investigator and a  
pre-eminent professor, Washu can annull your crimes in the  
Academy, maybe pin them down on Syndicate activity."  
  
"That leaves Jurai and the GP." Kova carefully kept his voice level,  
watching her.  
  
"Jurai won't be a problem, especially with Aeka and Sasami for you,  
not to mention Tenchi." Despite the way things seemed to coming  
together, Kiyone forced her optimism down and out from her voice,  
keeping it under control so she could think impassively. "Besides  
their statute of limitations should be taking effect soon, maybe in  
two or three years' time. Sasami's rescue can be quoted as a point  
of reprieve… then that will leave only the GP." She paused a while,  
thinking. "*Exactly* how many ship raids have you committed?"  
  
"Twelve." Kova answered without hesitation. "Not including the  
attacks on the SSS convoys."  
  
Kiyone arched an eyebrow at the speed of his reprisal and answer,  
especially when the said events spanned over half a century. "How  
long have you been thinking about this?"  
  
"Since I met you, a great many times over the number for my liking."  
  
"Wait a minute…" Kiyone thought, her voice sounding surprised.  
"That averages only about one raid in every five years!"  
  
Kova nodded in affirmation. "Yes, you can make at least two million  
Synereals from a single raid. I lived rather frugally, at least by space  
pirate standards, so I only have to raid ships once in a while. It also  
keeps my thrill level higher each time I go break in one."  
  
"Twelve…" Kiyone murmured, pressing her lips tightly together.  
"That's three too many…"  
  
"If they can be ascribed to either under the SSS or Jurai, they will be  
subject to limitations."  
  
"I doubt they can," she pointed out. "Usually safety of interstellar  
trading and travel routes is considered under the jurisdication of the  
Galaxy Police. Hell, we are even expected to help people with  
engine trouble and what not…"  
  
Kova sighed. "Then there's no statute of limitations for the GP,  
right?"  
  
"We have always been committed to bringing to justice to bear on  
*all* wrongdoers, regardless of the time the crime was committed,  
except under juvenile considerations." Her expression darkened,  
and not just because they had struck a rock here. "Twelve raids…  
including the destruction of combat crafts, that easily comes up to  
over three hundred lives or more."  
  
Kova flinched, for though her voice was neutral, he sensed an  
accusatory tone. "Look, it was just something I did, and it was  
wrong, but what can I do about it now?"  
  
Knowing there was nothing he could say, Kiyone cast her gaze  
away, and was silent, looking out at the bath itself, her mind writhing  
inwards upon itself in paroxysms of confusion, sorrow and anger.  
  
To be an instrument of the law… what did that mean? To be an  
officer of the law… what was one's purpose? To find who did it, and  
to bring sword of the law to bear upon the person. To pursue in  
succession a universe of endless criminals, to stand them to trial on  
behalf of the countless who have suffered or fallen, on behalf of the  
countless who will never know their deaths have been avenged.   
  
She had never known who killed her father, nor had the knowledge  
that her mother's murderer had met his maker dampened the grief  
and anguish at her passing. And to feel at this moment, just for two  
people…Compared to over three hundred lives… what pain…  
immeasurable.   
  
And if I and Kova were to have our way, their loss would never be  
paid for…   
  
What injustice.  
  
The irony almost made Kiyone sob.  
  
"Don't think too hard about it," Kova, aggrieved at seeing her  
pained, slipped lightly into the pool by her side, letting the warm  
waters soak into his body from waist down, and gently held her  
close. "Reality is harsh, people live and then they die. They're over  
with, let us, the living, go on with living…"  
  
Kiyone started in anger as she heard his words, her green eyes  
lighting up in some kind of rage, but as his words sunk in, her heart  
burst into a raging, fiery inferno, a burning halo that seemed to fill  
with the pained cries of the deceased, crying for justice, and her  
vision of the man next to her was flooded with a thick cloud of  
contempt and hatred. "Easy for you to say!" Kiyone angrily shoved  
Kova away.   
  
"Kiyone…" He started, surprised as he was pushed back. "You're  
taking this too personally…"  
  
Something inside told her concurred, but Kiyone raged on, like a  
woman possessed. "Yes, of course I am over reacting! After all their  
lives mean nothing to you, you kill them and it's over with!"  
  
"I thought I told you I don't like taking lives," blue eyes shimmered,  
trembling, but he nevertheless managed to hide his hurt. "It's just  
something that has to be done at times…"  
  
"Something, huh? SomeTHING… you don't even have give them  
the *dignity* of being people before you kill them…"  
  
A flicker of annoyance passed over Kova's face. "Look, that's the  
way we survive, hell that's the way *you* survive…"  
  
"But *we* hunt only those who break the law, so they do not break  
the peace!" Kiyone fumed, gesticulating wildly. "We do it for justice,  
for peace, *not* for money, not for glory, not for sport…"  
  
Hurting badly already from being attacked, Kova felt his blood boil,  
and something inside snapped. "*SPORT*! You tell me *sport*!?"  
His outburst was so sudden and vehement, his blue eyes almost  
spitting sparks, his neck muscles convulsing with rage, that even  
Kiyone was silenced for the moment in surprise. "Not for sport, not  
for money? What is bounty hunting, then? Not for glory, not for  
money!? Then you tell me how *precious* your god damn  
promotions are to you!"   
  
Kiyone winced, as the shot told, flying straight and true, striking  
deep to draw blood, but she took a deep breath and recovered  
quickly to spring another line. "You don't deny however, that you  
*were* a space pirate, you attacked those ships out of your *own*  
volition, with an *intent* to cause malicious harm and injury and to  
*claim* what was *not* rightfully your own."  
  
"So I did, I won't deny that," Kova countered, his voice strident still.  
"And you won't deny that I *did* risk my GODDAMN life once for the  
carriers and twice against the Synereans to save precious asshole  
people I didn't even know existed!" A twisted grimace that seemed  
almost that of pain distorted his face. "And what happens?  
EXTENSIONS to my list of CRIMES! Even more determination to get  
me! More money for my head! Higher promotions offered to the one  
who gets me! Tossing me into a cell in the HQ to await execution!"  
He was snarling, like an enraged beast . "Tell me, then, is that  
*JUST*!? Is that what law and order stands for?"  
  
Kiyone took a deep breath. "The Galaxy Police stand by the  
Standard Galactic Law, and we are dedicated to maintaining the law  
and order in the universe, barring wars between empires and  
political intrigues. Tha law defends the multitudes from the lawless,  
and deems that those who infringe upon it to cause hurt and harm  
to others must be brought to justice to pay for their crimes…"  
  
"Well, let me tell you, Chief Inspector Kiyone Makibi, what your  
precious Galactic bullshit really is then!" Kiyone faltered as his  
impersonal address and callous words cut deep, but Kova shot on  
like a bullet, seemingly oblivious to her pain. "*Your* high and  
mighty law is a farce… you want criminals? I tell you who are the  
criminals! They are the kings, the ministers, the presidents, the  
leaders who pit countless ships and nations and people and  
planets from systems all over the universe against each other! They  
are the ones who not only escape punishment, they go down in  
history as great leaders, symbolic of a glorious age! For spilling the  
blood of unknown billions across years of countless atrocities and  
massacres, they are written down on the pages as a distinction of a  
truly magnificent conquerer! Theses are those who should not only  
be utterly castigated and condemned for all eternity, these are those  
who should not even have existed!" Kova's face was red again, only  
this time it was in aplopectic rage and not embarrassment, as he  
ranted on. "*Your* law never seeks to make amends, never seeks to  
reprieve or rehabilitate! The rich and powerful are coddled up to  
with nice, diplomatic records, relations lubricated with cold hard  
cash legitimately robbed from the citizens! *Your* law lets them get  
away scotfree, even providing medals to go with, but when it comes  
to us, the wretched, the outcasts, it gives no way out, just draws the  
noose around our necks and tightens, wishing only to torment and  
inflict pain, and more pain, until this existence is a like a tortured  
hellhole!" As he concluded, he was taking ragged breaths, but his  
fury was unquenched, his hands still clenched tightly into fists, his  
wrath seeming to envelope him in a burning flame that was  
unaffected by the waters of the bath, nor soothed by the warm air.  
  
There was a silence, as Kiyone stared at him with wide eyes, biting  
her lips, and trying not to cry from the fear…  
  
He's not angry at me, it's at the system, at the way reality works…  
but I've *never* seen him so mad before…  
  
"The law is not perfect, nor is its enforcement. We can only try…"  
Her steady voice trembled and quavered, then her brave front  
crumbled away to reveal the agony and anguish as her dearest had  
inflicted on her as he had mercilessly shredded away at something  
that was part of herself. Distraught, Kiyone's hands covered her  
face as she let herself sink down, the water cutting off her sob as  
her head was submerged…  
  
Watching her, Kova felt a swift sharp spasm in his heart, like a  
dagger had been stabbed into it, as he realised the damage he had  
done, but something in him still seethed at the issue, and told him  
he *was* in the right… He took a step closer her, watching, waiting  
pensively, but his posture and stance were still rigid and unyielding,  
until she finally drew herself back out of the water.   
  
Her long hair glistening with droplets, her eyes a little red, Kiyone  
rose up, taking deep breaths, only to feel him by her side, laying a  
comforting hand on her bare shoulder, before letting it slide down  
along her clothed arm to clasp her fingers.   
  
He squeezed her hand slightly, and she turned to regard him, her  
face stony with a touch of injury. "Kiyone-chan… I didn't mean to  
hurt you…" He conceded, although still careful to keep from  
drawing too close to her.  
  
She managed a weak, brittle smile, and swallowed slightly, to keep  
her distress back down. "I know it wasn't meant for me, it was for  
the system, and the way life goes…"  
  
"I'm very grateful you understood that," he managed. "I hate to think  
how much I might have wounded you if you thought it was directed  
at yourself."  
  
She drew her gaze from his, looking away at the surface of the  
bath."It still hurts."  
  
His eyes saddened. "I'm very sorry, I…"  
  
"Don't speak," Kiyone interrupted him. "Just keep quiet. I don't  
think either of us are in the mood now… we're too sensitive, our  
emotions too highly strung. This conversation isn't going to go  
anywhere."  
  
There was an awkward silence. Kiyone tugged her hand slightly  
away, and he reluctantly let go. "You're right there, I guess. We need  
some time alone, I think, to relax, away from each other." There was  
a short pause. "How long do you need?"  
  
Kiyone kept her gaze fixed on the water, which was gently shifting  
to and fro, undulating in a myriad of patterns, each in some almost  
indiscernible way, unique. "I don't really know…"  
  
"The house and your apartment are too risky to be around in. I'll be  
at the shrine waiting for you, if you feel better." He wet his lips with  
his tongue. "If you don't want to come, go get some sleep. I won't  
mind, after all it's rather late and you haven't gotten enough of it  
recently…"  
  
"I'll decide later."   
  
She didn't turn around as he hoisted himself out of the pool, and,  
still dripping, reluctantly made for the door, somewhat crestfallen at  
her curt dismissal. The door slid open, to reveal a thankfully empty  
corridor, and he was about to step out when…   
  
"Kova-chan?"   
  
He froze. "Yes?" Hopefully.  
  
"If I don't show up, catch some rest too, okay?"  
  
Although neither of them had turned to face each other, his  
expression brightened at that barest solace. "Sure, thanks." He  
thought for a bit, uncertain how to apologise. "I love you."  
  
"And I love you too." Kiyone whispered, just barely audibly to his  
ears.   
  
Then the door slid shut behind her, and she was alone.  
  
====================================  
  
"Err…Ryoko…" Tenchi spun around to face her while stepping  
further into the room to back away from her, his expression the  
epitome of discomfited, disquieted disconcertion.  
  
"Let's play, Tenchi!" She laughed, and leaped, hands outstretched  
as if to pounce on Tenchi.   
  
"AAAH!" The boy screamed as Ryoko's body engulfed him like  
warm blanket, and the impact bowled him backwards in the  
direction of his bed.  
  
"RYOKO!" A high pitched scream rang out. Despite the blood  
thundering in her temples and that she was almost purple with her  
rage, Aeka managed to restrain herself from using her forcefield,  
lest she hurt Tenchi and wreck the room, before she hurtled forward  
in a streak of violet.  
  
"Aww damn." Ryoko seemed to yawn, as if her disappointment had  
been expected, merely a split second before the first princess of  
Imperial Jurai flung herself between Ryoko and Tenchi.  
  
"Oooof!" Tenchi landed backwards on his bed, as Aeka's  
momentum landed her and Ryoko on the ground before him, with  
Aeka on top.  
  
"You… *bitch*!" Aeka screamed in Ryoko's face. "I *WON'T*  
allow…"  
  
"Oh you want to play too, do you?" Ryoko half snarled.   
  
It was one thing to be grateful to Aeka but it was something else to  
let her interrupt her fun, especially when it came to Tenchi.  
However, the reduction of the animosity between the two was  
characterised by Ryoko's next move.   
  
As if Aeka were no more than a fly, Ryoko effortlessly plucked the  
princess off from atop her. "Let's see who gets to stay, then!" And  
almost disdainfully, Ryoko tossed Aeka away…  
  
"Waah!" she cried, as she sailed through the air.  
  
Tenchi just managed to sit up before he made out Aeka, her  
ponytails streaming out behind her, careening right towards him.   
  
Oh man, not again…  
  
"OOF!"  
  
"Uh…" Aeka looked down into Tenchi's wide, staring, and  
incredulous eyes, as she realised her entire body was pressed  
against his, albeit with the folds of their clothing between, and that  
she was pinning him to the bed with her weight. "I…" Her face  
flushed a bright crimson, just as Tenchi's did too.  
  
GET OFF HIM, AEKA!   
  
Something inside her screamed, and it was with a thrill of shock that  
Aeka realised she had no intention whatsoever of obeying that  
command.   
  
The matter was taken out of her hands, however.  
  
"Heh, my turn!" Ryoko nonchalantly shoved Aeka out of her way.  
The princess' eyes widened for a moment, before she tumbled over  
the foot of the bed, while Ryoko embraced Tenchi from the other  
side, her hands bringing him to face her own self lying on the bed.  
"So, who makes you feel better?"   
  
Tenchi felt a teardrop form on his head as he felt Ryoko's ample  
assets press on him. "Urk…" he choked, trying not to panic and to  
start struggling, and dismally failing for both attempts.  
  
"I'll bet it's me!" Ryoko laughed, twiddling her finger against his  
chest in her customary fashion. "Ne, Tenchi?"  
  
"How *DARE* you!" Aeka shrieked as she got back to her feet,  
enraged almost beyond belief, then she hurled herself bodily onto  
Ryoko. Alas for Tenchi, the princess seemed not to note he was  
between their bodies…  
  
====================================  
  
Outside, as she ascended the stairs once more, Washu smiled to  
herself as she heard the shriek and the ensuing scuffle. The Masaki  
household did not, as a general rule, have soundproof walls, but  
nevertheless Tenchi's room was not *that* close to the stairs, so  
thet hullaballoo must be rather respectable.  
  
Oh, those kids.  
  
Washu shook her head, amused.  
  
At least there aren't any explosions, so they should be doing fine.  
Poor Tenchi won't be getting much sleep tonight.  
  
She emitted a wicked laugh. She had originally intended to leave the  
box inside Tenchi's room, but as it were, she would rather leave it  
outside and maybe spend some time there. It would be interesting  
to note how long it takes for the ruckus to eventually die out along  
with Tenchi's final vestiges of restraint, marking the end of a  
phenomenal case of almost inhuman discipline intermixed with fear,  
especially when taking into account that the person concerned was  
a male teenager in the bloom of his youth, that the two ladies  
concerned were very determined, and that the time frame in  
question was well over a year…  
  
A figure emerged from around the corner, appearing at the top of  
the stairs before her, and Washu arched an eyebrow in surprise as  
she recognised Kova, looking absolutely glum and down in the  
dumps. His chest was still slick with water, and his pants were  
dripping, as he regarded her, almost absently.  
  
"Kashiro? What happened?" Washu's curiosity was piqued. "Were  
you that good, or did you let it out too quickly?"  
  
Kova stared blankly at her, so despondent that the lewd reference  
just completely passed over head. "We… had a disagreement." He  
sighed.  
  
"Mad at you again, huh?" Washu thought back to when Kiyone had  
rushed out of her lab amidst tears and sobs   
  
"I deserved it." He walked down towards her. "We figured we  
needed a break."  
  
"Not bad, at least you're learning." Washu shifted aside to make  
way for him, as he trudged by. While moving slowly, his  
despondency giving her the impression he was a zombie that  
would walk right over her and not notice.  
  
Kova paused halfway down, as the realisation finally sank in about  
what Washu's initial question was about. "Professor…" His voice  
quavered as he tried to suppress his annoyance. "Do me and  
yourself a favour… please *don't* talk to Kiyone like *that*."   
  
"My, you're rather forbearing tonight…" Washu observed, a hint of  
sarcasm in her words.  
  
"I am thankful, professor, to you, especially back in there," he  
answered, as he resumed his trudge down. "I believe you mean  
well, but I can't say I like everything about you and your directives."  
  
"And I suppose you think you're no longer wet behind the ears,  
huh?"  
  
"No, I never believed that. I still am, I think, and I'm trying to learn."  
  
"Good for you, then."  
  
The reference to his being wet drew his attention to his dripping  
state. "Oh and professor, do you mind dropping by a dry towel for  
Kiyone? I do believe there aren't any left in the bath…" He asked, as  
he reached the base of the stairs.  
  
"No problem." Washu watched him a moment longer, as he made  
off, heading for the living room and towards the exit of the house,  
without even bothering to note if Washu had acknowledged and  
acceded to his request.  
  
What a queer…  
  
====================================  
  
"Ryoko, I'm warning you, you go too far!" Aeka cried out again as  
she managed to seize Ryoko's wrists.  
  
"Well, princess, we'll see who wins, then!" The space pirate retorted,  
using her weight to push Aeka back.  
  
"*Please* sto…" Tenchi's plaintive plea was cut off as Aeka fell back  
on top of him again, knocking his breath out, before he tried to claw  
his way to a side again, but somehow he was always held between  
and under them in one way or another…  
  
Chaos held sway, at least on Tenchi's bed, as the three romped to  
and fro, over the bedsheets and pillows. Ryoko was grinning,  
enjoying herself thoroughly and therefore not bothering to throw  
Aeka off. As she was pulled forward, and onto the vainly struggling  
boy, she could feel his sweat, hear his rapid breaths, and almost  
sense his rising arousal as he was repeatedly ironed and  
steamrolled onto his bed by the tussling forms of the two girls.  
  
Gasping for breath, Tenchi finally managed to secure for a moment  
a gap, through which he could breath, then somehow got one hand,  
then another, in between them…  
  
Here goes…  
  
"STOP THIS!" He cried out as he pushed them apart with his hands  
and sat up between them.  
  
Aeka and Ryoko blinked, as they looked at his face, his eyes closed  
in anger, his head bowed forward, before their eyes travelled to one  
another's expressions. Ryoko grinned at Aeka, her eyes twinkling,  
who blinked in confused surprise.  
  
Now that was *fun*! Aeka could almost read off Ryoko's merry face.   
  
Absurd! You space pirate you…! Doing all that to lord Tenchi!   
  
Aeka scowled back, and blinked again in surprise as Ryoko winked.  
  
I'll bet you liked that too! Her wink seemed to say. And don't you  
deny it, princess…  
  
No I *didn't*! Or… did I!?  
  
Aeka blushed, as she thought back to how Tenchi had inadvertantly  
touched her here and here…  
  
Tenchi took a deep breath, his heartbeat slowing down, then  
opened his eyes and straightened his head. Aeka and Ryoko turned  
their attention back to him, but before he could bring himself to  
glare angrily at the two of them…  
  
… and *here*, Aeka realised.  
  
Tenchi blinked as he heard Aeka gasp and Ryoko chuckle.  
  
Or more correctly, he *FELT* Aeka gasp and Ryoko chuckle.  
  
"Ulp…" He swallowed nervously, and a tiny part of him just  
managed to admire and enjoy the smooth, silky softness, a split  
second before his hands were snatched away with desperate  
speed, before he could feel the blood rushing up to his face, which  
burned a bright scarlet in response.  
  
"Aww, Tenchi," Ryoko moaned seductively, eyes twinkling. "Don't  
tell me you didn't like it…"  
  
"I…" Tenchi averted his eyes. "…didn't."  
  
"You're as bad as Aeka." Ryoko answered tartly. "You *know* in  
your heart of hearts you did, oh yes, you did." Both Tenchi and  
Aeka's faces flared up slightly more in response to that which part  
of them admitted to be true.  
  
"Please, Aeka, Ryoko, please don't fight again… ever." Tenchi tried  
to put his statement across, but even as the words left his mouth he  
knew what the answers would be. He had even felt it as he had been  
on the bed, the way the girls had wrestled and sparred rather than  
tried outright to hurt each other, such as throwing punches, kicking  
or lashing out.  
  
"I didn't really intend to hurt Ryoko, lord Tenchi…" Aeka mumbled,  
like a chastised child. "I was just trying to make sure…"  
  
"Cut the crap Aeka! You enjoyed it, I *know* you did." Ryoko  
pointed out. "Let's face it, if I wanted to I'd have tossed you away  
like I did earlier."  
  
Tenchi's mind fumbled around, groping for some way, any excuse  
to get them out of his room, yet they had utterly confounded both  
his reasons for possibly wanting to get them out of the room, and  
for some reason, he was neither sufficiently angry nor upset about it  
to hurt them both by ordering their departure. In fact, part of him  
welcomed their presence…  
  
"Now, all of us know what we all want and will enjoy, don't we?"  
The space pirate took the helm, grinning wickedly. "So princess,  
you take that side, I'll take this side…"  
  
Something eventually went off inside Tenchi's mind, and instantly,  
he knew what he would do. He knew he truly loved both Aeka and  
Ryoko, and as things stood currently, they meant well to both  
himself and one another. In the past year, he had learnt what they  
meant to him, how to be assertive with them, to show them they  
both were dear to him, and now, it seemed, he would have to finally  
fall back on the old, traditional, time honoured, natural instinct,  
which was to...  
  
"…and at last, Tenchi will…"  
  
RUN!  
  
There was a blur as he sped out from between them, practically  
leaving a dust cloud behind him on the bed.   
  
"TENCHIIII!" Ryoko's voice rang out in consternation. Aeka, already  
embarrassed, was too confused to say anything, unsure if she were  
relieved, disappointed or hurt.   
  
The fleeing boy heard her dimly, and, his hand moving in a blur,  
hardly even registered opening the door only to…  
  
"Oh hi, Tenchi!"  
  
His brown eyes widened upon beholding that smiling, childlike face,  
framed with scarlet hair, and he somehow pulled off a physically  
impossible feat, which was to stop himself from colliding straight  
into Washu. For a moment wild, insane thoughts streamed across  
his mind, of Washu setting up machines and various devices such  
as those that he had encountered before, and then laughingly  
letting Ryoko and Aeka loose on him…  
  
"Washu!" Aeka greeted, relieved that the temptation was gone, and  
the choice was no longer left in her hands. "Well, how timely!"  
  
Besides, it would not be proper… at least not until we are at least  
engaged, then we can…  
  
Aeka blushed at her own imagination.  
  
"Hypocrite," Ryoko snorted disdainfully as she noted Aeka's  
reactions, before standing up by the bed and turning to the  
scientist. "Now, Washu, if you don't mind, we're trying to get a little  
privacy here…"  
  
"Excuse *me*, Ryoko," Aeka asked pointedly, her mask sliding  
neatly back on in the presence of a person apart from Ryoko and  
Tenchi, bringing herself up to her full height a distance by Ryoko's  
right side. "But what do you mean by *we*!?"  
  
Ryoko shot her a brief, annoyed glance. "Oh, and Washu, don't  
forget to take this stuck-up two-faced snot with you."  
  
Several weeks ago, Tenchi would have taken cover at this point as  
Ryoko and Aeka prepared to unleash their arsenal upon each other,  
but instead he heaved a sigh of relief.  
  
Whew, they're no longer on to me…  
  
"You DARE call *me* a stuck-up two-faced snot!?" Aeka shrieked, in  
a fury…  
  
"Well, I didn't actually said who was who…" Ryoko arched an  
eyebrow, as if issuing a challenge, her words scornful. "But I guess  
even someone like you would know your name when you hear it."  
  
"Why, you…!!!!"  
  
The temperature in the room skyrocketed, as the pent up tension  
and energy the girls had amassed and accumulated, having lost its  
original focal point, namely Tenchi, filled them almost to the brink,  
and was all too rapidly redirected at one another, both from internal  
pressures and force of habit.  
  
Washu observed passively and Tenchi stared in fear as Aeka's blue  
energy field coaelsced out of nothingness at astonishing speed,  
while countless orange motes of energy were channeled in a blink  
of an eye into the glowing spheres in either of Ryoko's palms. Both  
their visages were now convulsed as savage rage distorted their  
countenances, which on so many occasions had been beautiful  
and comely to his eyes.  
  
RUN! Get away from here!  
  
NO! I can't, I will NOT let them hurt each other!  
  
Look, they always fight and they both always get out fine, so…  
  
I won't take the chance. Besides, they promised me.  
  
Come on, run! You're SCARED, so damn you run for it!  
  
Tenchi's eyes narrowed.  
  
It hurts me all the time, and it has always hurt me. But I have always  
ran and ran from it. Not now, not this time.   
  
His fingers closed around Tenchi-ken, even as Aeka's forcefield  
became almost opaque, and the light from Ryoko's hands and  
Aeka's field engulfed the room to make it as bright as day.  
  
I shall face my fears head on. They shall not hurt each other again. I  
am armed, I have my will, my skill, my power as a Juraian…  
  
Even as the pressure in the room built up so it seemed well nigh the  
time the dam would burst, his fingers suddenly loosened on  
Tenchi-ken.  
  
…and my faith in them…  
  
Ryoko's hands shot up, the orange blazing so brightly her arms  
were barely visible, even as the enraged Aeka streaked forward, lost  
behind her scintillating shield, and in that same instant Tenchi  
instinctively launched himself back into the room right between the  
two of them.  
  
… will protect me.  
  
====================================  
  
His glasses glinted in the night, as he walked over the blasted area.  
Here and there, patches of greenery had been spared from the  
devastation in this area, but otherwise haphazard lines of  
desloation topped with potholes from blasts showed this place  
must have recently been a veritable no man's land. Severed tree  
trunks, piles of guttering ashes, and several long grooves of  
uniform destruction marked the scars of combat about this area.  
  
The long grooves were easily attributed to Aeka - her force field  
must have consumed the area she passed over as she raced into  
battle. Ryoko too, accounted for the blasts and fallen logs, but if he  
suspected that there was no way Aeka and Ryoko could have been  
angry enough at one another to cause this kind of damage while  
trying to kill each other, there could be no doubt now there was a  
third party.  
  
Here and there, the logs were nicked with grooves from a laser  
weapon, similar to that of Ryoko's blade. However, the nicks were of  
varying depth over surfaces, sometimes over the same surface, and  
the slicing apart of the trunks left minute oscillations that failed to  
escape his discerning eye. It would also accounted for the silvery  
red beam he saw descend from the sky at Tenchi's house.  
  
It wasn't often that he was worried, but there could be no doubt he  
was now, even if only a little.  
  
Granted, he nodded to himself, Aeka and Ryoko by themselves  
were already a recipe for trouble, so throw the rest in and these kind  
of things should be commonplace.  
  
But not as commonplace as this. Chasing the cyborgs into space,  
he had guessed, was already a rather interesting episode, but that  
was barely two days ago, yet already something new had surfaced  
and was sweeping in towards them, like waves on waves rushing in  
towards the shore to wear it down.  
  
Deciding there was nothing he could do to repair the damage to the  
beauty of this forest he so loved, he turned to leave, and the  
moonlight glinted off his glasses again.  
  
Oh, you still here? I see.  
  
Soundlessly, but seemingly at ease and utterly relaxed, he slid after  
the person creeping through the forest at night, keeping a  
respectable distance away, and pausing now and then to appreciate  
the incandescent light streaming out of the windows of Tenchi  
room.  
  
Tenchi will have to spend most of this summer picking up his room,  
it seems, as he considered the general inevitability of the explosion.  
  
====================================  
  
The light's intensity climbed to a climax, then suddenly dimmed, and  
died completely away, throwing the room back into night again.  
  
Noth… nothing happened…  
  
His heart's palpitations slowing down, Tenchi hesitantly opened his  
eyes, full of incredulity and relief. Sure enough, instead of the  
wreckage that should have greeted him, the walls of the room did,  
dimly, for the electrical lights overhead seemed pathetically feeble  
relative to the searing brightness that had just died away. He was  
looking straight ahead, over his bed and out at the window… that  
meant Ryoko and Aeka were on either side of him, and anxious fear  
clouded his mind as he dared not look to see if one of them had  
been hurt.   
  
"Aeka? Ryoko?" He whispered, tremulously. The dim light in the  
room seemed to change his surroundings to his senses, as though  
it had faded into an alternate, shadowed dimension he had been  
brought to, and he dreaded to see the spectres of pain and suffering  
that might arise from around him.  
  
For a reply, two hands landed on his shoulders, one from either  
side.  
  
"We're… fine." Two voices replied, just by his ears, and his tense  
body sagged down, relaxed, as he let a half sob of grateful relief.  
  
"I'm sorry, princess." Ryoko's voice, from his right. "I… didn't mean  
to call you…" There was a pause, as Ryoko forced herself to admit  
her mistake. "…names."  
  
"I know you are, or you would have struck me already." Aeka  
smiled, albeit mirthlessly. "And I shouldn't have been as quick to  
anger as I did."  
  
"Yeah. I hate to think what might have happened to Tenchi's room."  
  
Tenchi blinked at this comment. "HUH!?"  
  
My room is more important to them than me!?  
  
The girls looked curiously at his expression, then…  
  
"Tenchi you *BAKA*!" Both of them laughed, and threw themselves  
on him.  
  
What did I do? What did I do!?  
  
"Errr… what now!?" He whispered nervously.  
  
"That was so *sweet* of you, Tenchi, to try to protect me from that  
wicked, wicked princess," Ryoko purred, teasing him, then her  
voice grew an edge. "But there had better *not* be a second time…"  
  
"While that was brave of you, lord Tenchi," Aeka warned, more to  
the point. "I promise you, if ever you try *that* again, I will personally  
see to it that you will summarily be flogged!"  
  
Tenchi blinked, bewildered…  
  
"I'll second that, Aeka!" Ryoko growled, menacingly.  
  
"So now you heard us, *don't* you ever DARE try that again." Aeka  
admonished.  
  
Thus concluded, both of them kissed him on either side of his  
cheeks.  
  
!?!?!  
  
Ryoko's amber eyes met Aeka's amethyst ones as they drew back  
from him.  
  
"Princess?" Questioningly.  
  
"Ryoko?" Inquisitively.  
  
There was a moment of awkward silence, as Tenchi tried  
desperately to pull his thoughts in about him and back in line, to try  
to make sense of the bizarre, at least to him, actions of the girls, but  
being confused, worried, relieved, and still being clung on to by  
both of them, his mental state was far from optimal for such  
complicated operative measures.  
  
The silence was shattered by slow, steady claps from somewhere  
behind the three of them. As one, they turned around, to look  
bewildered as Washu, beaming pleasantly, stepped into the room,  
her hands doling out slow but somehow sincere applause.  
  
"Well done," Washu grinned cheekily, but there was a muted  
seriousness in her eyes as well as radiant pride as she looked upon  
the three of them. "I doubted you there for a moment, but it seems  
like you managed to pull it off." Somehow, without her having to  
change her demeanour, Washu's smile became sincere.  
  
"Huh?" Tenchi asked, somewhat glad that a new emotion apart  
from apprehensive uneasiness was coursing through him.  
  
"Well, I suppose it might be you, Tenchi, but I think we all knew it  
would simply be a matter of time of time and place before you tried  
to pull off something like this, didn't we?" She smiled at Aeka and  
Ryoko, a wee too sweetly for them to be at ease. "But for you girls,  
it's nice to know you're finally learning to grow up, just like Kiyone."  
Washu chuckled a little to herself as she thought of the detective  
back in the bath.  
  
"What do you mean?" Ryoko frowned uncertainly at her.  
  
"Please explain, Washu," Aeka asked, trying to appear composed.  
  
"Simple really," Washu smiled pleasantly. "Neither of you could  
possibly have seen each other through that all that your brilliant  
energies were emanating, or even have seen Tenchi at all. From the  
power being built up, both of you were very aware the other one  
was indeed summoning up power that could be potentially  
threatening, yet at the last moment, you both decided you couldn't  
find the hate inside to make you actually hurt one another that  
much." She smiled to herself, and folded her arms up in front of her,  
satisfied with herself as she saw the looks of unreserved joy Tenchi  
was giving to Ryoko and Aeka, who were standing there, somehow  
looking all at once embarrassed, sheepish yet full of pride. "Heh,  
and don't you even dare tell me you don't understand, because you  
do…"  
  
The two girls shot a second set of glances at one another again, but  
this time it was in mutual understanding, empathy, and most  
prominently, with respect.  
  
"Thank you, princess."  
  
"It must have been harder for you, Ryoko."  
  
Washu smiled to see that Tenchi looked positively radiant now, his  
brown eyes loving and warm, while the smile across his face  
practically shone out to cast its effulgent light over both of the girls,  
and then she stepped back to the door, bending down to pick up  
something by the side. "Congratulations, all three of you." She  
straightened, and the three could see she held in her hands a box of  
dimensions about twenty centimetres, wrapped up in a  
psychedelically bright mix of silver, purple, cyan and pink wrapping.  
"Looks like you all deserve this, so come get it, Tenchi."  
  
Tenchi blinked, as Aeka and Ryoko looked at each other  
questioningly, then suddenly he remembered...  
  
The gift!  
  
"Thank you, Washu!" Tenchi breathed, his face jubilant, as he  
halted in front of her.   
  
"Heh, it's really nothing to a genius like me…" Washu grinned back,  
eyes twinkling as she placed the package into Tenchi's eager  
hands. Originally Washu had wondered if the item would serve the  
purpose she intended, but seeing Aeka and Ryoko a moment ago,  
she had no doubt it would be welcomed. "It's all fixed for you."  
  
Exuberant, Tenchi hurried back to Ryoko and Aeka, and set the  
object down before them.  
  
"Tenchi, what is this?" Aeka asked, as they both kneeled down to  
look at it.  
  
"It looks kind of familiar…" Ryoko's brows furrowed.  
  
"Well…" Tenchi started as he sat down behind the box. "Earlier, I  
thought after I got both of you mad at me, the least I could do was to  
give something back to both of you… something that you would  
both like." A certain degree of unease crept back into him as he  
suddenly realised he too, had no idea what Washu had done with  
the presents, nor if Ryoko and Aeka would like them…  
  
Washu winked at him as he looked back uncertainly at her.  
  
Tenchi turned back around, not exactly comforted, uncertain, only  
to see Aeka and Ryoko both had their fingers barely an inch from  
the present, but they had froze in the act and were looking at each  
other uncertainly, as if unsure who should open it.  
  
"How about Tenchi?" Ryoko asked.  
  
"Lord Tenchi then," Aeka replied, then as one they withdrew their  
hands, and watched as Tenchi sweatdropped…  
  
Come on, Washu's a friend…  
  
Yeah, but in case you forgot, what does she invent? Not to mention  
all the encounters with her in the lab…  
  
Then the image of Washu's smiling at them, congratulating them,  
materialised in his mind.  
  
No, she knows what she is doing and she means well, I *know* it.  
  
Here goes, then.  
  
His hands carefully unwrapped the top of the package, and it was  
with some degree of disappointment that the three of them saw it  
was merely the top of the box Ryoko had given him…  
  
"Hey isn't that my…!?" Ryoko started.  
  
"Washu borrowed your things to help fix up Aeka's." Tenchi  
answered, his hands pausing.  
  
"Oh, to help fix up Aeka's…" Ryoko blinked. "Well, then okay."  
  
Whew, Tenchi thought, as he continued unwrapping the box. For a  
moment there he was worried that Ryoko would blow up at the  
thought of her gift being given away by Tenchi.  
  
"Why is it so big?" Aeka asked. "And where are my doves?"  
  
"I… really don't know…" Tenchi sweatdropped again. "I suppose  
Washu must have done something…"  
  
Washu smiled, as he cleared the wrapping at the side…  
  
Tenchi, Ryoko and Aeka all started back, as the lid of the box  
sprang open backwards by itself, and Tenchi moved himself slightly  
so he could see what was inside. The fresh perfume of cherry  
blossoms wafted out from within to envelope the room, and a sweet,  
tinkling melody drifted on the air on the waves of cool mist that  
rolled out from within the box. Almost as if they were beholding a  
ceremony, Aeka, Ryoko and Tenchi watched with wide eyes as a  
violet stand, shimmering oddly as though it were laced with gems,  
rose from within the box.   
  
On it a pair of pink crystal doves, shining through the mist, the light  
glinting off their immaculately made surfaces, and overlaid with  
silver over parts of their outline, and their pristine beauty fitted in  
perfectly with the clear music in the background, while a silver  
locket was hung around both their necks.  
  
"Heh, like it?" Washu asked the three of them.  
  
The mist died out, and one could see that within the pink crystal  
doves, there were embedded certain letters. Looking carefully, they  
saw that one had, in cyan, the kanji lettering for Ryoko, while in the  
other, the silver shone out as pink with the kanji name for Aeka, and  
around the each doves' neck, there was a single wrist band of light  
blue and purple.  
  
"Washu…" Aeka was the first to catch her breath. "Thank you…"  
  
"Don't thank me," she grinned. "It's Tenchi after all, who asked me  
to get this thing fixed up for you two." Tenchi coloured slightly as  
Aeka smiled at him, but Ryoko had noticed something else…  
  
"HEY!" Ryoko exclaimed, as she looked upon the locket. "You took  
out my name!" she exclaimed, turning to Washu as she saw  
Tenchi's name alone was on the locket, yet the letterings had been  
their dimensions increased so it filled the space neatly.  
  
"I didn't," the professor threw Ryoko an enigmatic smile. "Think  
about it, Ryoko." She tilted her head in Tenchi's direction. "You  
know this is right."  
  
Ryoko and Aeka looked back on the doves… side by side, each  
beautiful, just as they were in real life, albeit in their own ways, and  
indeed side by side they were… and around both of them, Tenchi.  
  
"I'm sorry, Ryoko…" Tenchi started, as Aeka gave Ryoko a strange  
look.  
  
Ryoko pressed her lips together, and looked from Aeka to Tenchi,  
then back to Aeka.  
  
"Ryoko?" Aeka found herself confounded by the odd bittersweet  
smile Ryoko gave her. "Are you… upset?"  
  
"No, not at all," her smile brightened, but it was still fragile  
somehow, as her eyes temporarily cast down onto the floor. "I  
guess… it's right, I suppose." Her voice quavered slightly.  
  
"It is?" Tenchi looked up in surprise, only to see Aeka move closer  
to Ryoko, as the space pirate seemed to falter a little.  
  
"Yeah," Ryoko managed, weakly.  
  
Aeka, looking concerned, at the same time touched in some  
manner, gently reached out for Ryoko. The space pirate looked at  
her outstretched hand, then raised her gaze back up to look into  
Aeka's eyes…  
  
Aeka…  
  
I know how you feel, Ryoko… but you have to see it anyway.  
  
I know, but it hurts… how long have you known it already?  
  
I'm not sure. It doesn't really matter.  
  
We still have a long way to go, Aeka.  
  
Yeah, we do.  
  
Ryoko gingerly put her hand into Aeka's, and she smiled again.  
  
"Err… are you both all right?" Tenchi asked, nervously looking from  
one to the other.  
  
"Yeah," Aeka smiled, turning her eyes to Tenchi. They seemed to  
have opened up and cleared in some way or another, and Tenchi  
felt as though another barrier between him and the real her, the one  
beyond the cold exterior, had been torn down.  
  
"We're fine," Ryoko echoed, the warmth returning to her face, like  
the sunshine returning to melt the water, like the dawn of spring at  
the end of winter, and to Tenchi it seemed he looked into a wiser,  
stronger Ryoko…  
  
"Thank you," he replied, his voice choking with emotion, though he  
didn't really know why he said it, then gently put his arms around  
both of them.  
  
Washu watched as Ryoko and Aeka snuggled up to Tenchi, and  
smiled.  
  
====================================  
  
Shrouded in the shadows, the figure stood vigil within the forest,  
the entirety of the intense, brilliant blue eyes focused on the area  
around and most notably, on the base of the stairs and the route  
from it to Tenchi's house.   
  
Apart from the occasional quick movements of the eye, it remained  
absolutely still, settled still as death upon the perch which offered it  
the ideal splendid view. Since it had decided this place offered a  
exceptional surveillance point, and had reached here, it had not  
moved for the past fifteen minutes, and its gaze had not let up on its  
surroundings and the vicinity, except to note that the light from a  
certain room had vanished, but strangely there had been no  
eruption of sorts.  
  
It was a while more, before a figure of a lady emerged from the  
direction of the house, walking up the path. Dressed in long blue  
skirt and a figure-hugging light green top, her long hair seeming  
almost black against the darkness of the night, as she walked with  
slow, uncertain steps, towards the direction of the shrine. Her head  
was inclined slightly, looking at once wary yet weary.  
  
The watcher waited, not moving a muscle, except for the lips just  
barely curling up at the ends, as the gaze followed Kiyone, who  
stopped for a moment at the base of the steps, green eyes shining  
oddly, staring up at the temple steps before her.   
  
The shrine seemed so far ahead, to stretch so high and far ahead…  
  
After a moment's hesitation, the detective started her ascent, her  
every step deliberate and slow, as if she were trying to take the time  
to sort out her emotions.   
  
With bated breath, the watcher observed her, every minute seeming  
to crawl by. Although waiting for so long was far from normal  
behaviour, the vigilante had a gut feeling that it would be better to  
wait and see rather than step out in the open and approach Kiyone.  
It seemed as if there was another, close by too, keeping watch on  
Kiyone, and there was a nagging feeling that the watcher's own  
form was being observed.  
  
Kiyone had almost ascended about twenty steps below the  
watcher's level, when there was a brief movement in the forest on  
the opposite side of the forest. The observer started in surprise as a  
shadow seemed to solidify, forming out from the shadowed  
nothingness, and walk out onto the steps before Kiyone. There  
could be no mistaking the face, and the watcher arched an eyebrow  
in respect.  
  
Hmm, he's *good*. I didn't even see him…  
  
Well, what does that matter? I've found him.  
  
In the moonlight, Kiyone saw the strands of dark blue hair move  
gently to the cool wind, and saw that Kova wore a black jacket,  
zipped all the way up, rather than hanging open with a T-shirt  
beneath as he usually did, with dark blue pants below. Even though  
his skin was not dark, one would have sworn he was practically a  
creature of the night, he and his choice of clothing blended in so  
well…  
  
"Thank you, Kiyone-chan," he whispered, very softly, and the  
watcher could not catch his words.  
  
Kiyone looked up at him, her gaze even, steady, and cold.  
  
Kova nodded slightly.  
  
I understand… I'm sorry.  
  
Stepping diagonally before her, about two steps higher, he  
stretched out a hand, and waited. Kiyone watched him icily, then  
turning her gaze away, continued climbing the steps, at her old  
pace, slowly and deliberately.   
  
The unseen observer watched, with no small amount of surprise, as  
Kova seemed to tremble slightly, pressing his lips together, then he  
turned his back to Kiyone and climbed at her pace, maintaining the  
gap of two steps between them.  
  
Hmm, strange… but amusing.  
  
The thin lips curled up into a full smile.  
  
Looks like he will be mine… soon.  
  
She tensed her body, her muscles bunching up in anticipation, as  
she counted the number of steps between herself and Kova.  
  
… twelve, eleven, ten…  
  
Then her eyes widened in astonishment as Kiyone soundlessly  
drew her GP blaster from within her pocket, the weapon seeming to  
flow out of her form, so smooth and fluid her actions were, and she  
raised the weapon up…  
  
She doesn't…!?  
  
The shadowed clouds above the night sky seemed to draw closer  
together, cutting off some of the moonlight, as an icy, thin smile  
distorted Kiyone's frigid countenance, and the blaster settled into  
position, aiming right at the back of the unsuspecting Kova's  
head…  
  
=== End of Chapter ===  
  
PLEASE send COMMENTS & CRITICISMS! (C&C)  
  
IMPORTANT :  
I'm seriously worried I may have serious difficulty finishing D&L b4  
Jan 2000, so in case that happens I want to set up some kind of mailing  
list for D&L. Basically it will tell u when a new chapter comes out.  
Please mail your Name & Email to zyraen@yahoo.com, no other data is reqd.  
If u like u can provide your age, sex, and readiness to C&C.  
  
NOTES:  
Kova is in a way, an SIed character. Pls include him in your  
comments, whether I have portrayed him as a person, as a friend  
or foe, as one of the gang, and most importantly, as a human being.  
I have some pictures of him, not too good pencil drawings, if you  
wish to take a look pls mail me.  
  
I hope you have enjoyed this Fanfic as much as I have typing it.  
If there are any more grammar errors, I beg your forgiveness, as  
my sole proofreader is myself, and Serajadeyn ^_^.  
  
This is my first FF, so go ahead and mail me at zyraen@yahoo.com  
with comments, especially on character portrayal, realism.  
  
PLEASE send COMMENTS & CRITICISMS! (C&C)  
  



	17. No Need for Revelations

DEDICATION (29/11/2000)  
  
To Quatra-Sama  
  
Beauty is everywhere. May you find your solace in a beauty that  
will never fade, never pass from this world. The easy way may  
not be the best way.  
May heaven's blessings shine down on you, always.  
  
Sincerely, Zyraen ^_^  
  
Disclaimer :  
Most characters in this story are property of AIC and Pioneer.  
They are in such a situation solely because of my imagination.  
This story was written purely for fun.  
  
I would also like to extend my whole hearted thanks and gratitude to  
Patrick "Seion" Stewart, who gave me permission to use his character  
Seion in Darkness & Light .  
  
Seion, if you're reading this and you find I screwed him up, please  
do inform me, I'll do my utmost to put him right. Thank you ^_^.  
  
Seion's work can be found in Gensao's TMFFA, at www.tmffa.com.  
  
DARKNESS & LIGHT - No Need For Kova  
  
By Zyraen  
  
CHAPTER XVI : No Need for Revelations  
  
The incredulity of seeing Kiyone about to fire into Kova's head  
almost instantaneously gave way to a sense of fury, of anger,  
and already she was moving in…  
  
Don't you dare… that's my man…!  
  
Kova started in surprise as he saw the movement in the  
darkness to the side of the steps.  
  
DANGER!  
  
Something screamed from within his mind, and he leaped aside  
and forward towards the emerging threat, a whirl of sable robes  
that rustled somewhere within the shadows…  
  
What the…!?  
  
He felt his blood run cold as a golden beam burst out from  
behind him, just barely passing by his left cheek, before hurtling  
towards the shadow that had just emerged from under the  
shelter of the trees.  
  
"Stay out of this, Chief Inspector Kiyone!" The figure warned, as  
it produced a streak of violet energy from nowhere to twirl  
around its form protectively, and the bright violet lashed out at  
the golden beam, to send it hurtling up towards the skies.  
  
Oh, Kiyone-chan only meant to fire at…  
  
He heaved a sigh of relief, then moved so he could keep  
Kiyone's line of fire to the intruder open, and out of the corner  
he saw her lower her weapon uncertainly, from Nagi, her face  
flickering with doubt and uncertainty.  
  
Why is she…? Unless this is…  
  
Kova's eyes widened as he made out, beneath the sable cloth,  
the flicker of a blue suit, and the glimmer of icy blue eyes within  
the darkness of the hood, and what was definitely recognisable  
as a purple laser whip.  
  
"Nagi…" he enounced vehemently, and as always, closed his  
mind from noting that his heart sank at seeing such a renowned  
adversary, and rather focused on bringing his mind to bear on  
how to defeat her. "What brings you here, bounty hunter?"  
  
I once feared your kind, but…  
  
His fingers gripped his weapon, and Nagi's arched an eyebrow  
as she saw the long length of blue laser encase the silver rod to  
form into the scythe.  
  
"Impressive." Nagi mouthed, almost sardonically, then gave a  
mocking, cold laugh. "And really, need you ask, Kashiro?"   
  
There was a blur, then incandescent violet and azure sparks  
flew as the sweeping scythe met the whirling whip. The scythe  
flashed in and out, battering the wreath of violet energies, and  
Nagi nodded approvingly to herself.  
  
Well, what a night this has been. Ryoko, the princess Aeka, and  
a GP Special Operative that is also a Torabushi warrior. How  
fitting I should end it this way by being pitted against a worthy  
foe, indeed.  
  
In close quarters, she quickly realised Kova was too swift and  
close for her to be able to dodge about freely, and to be able to  
neutralise the momentum of the lethal sweeps she was having  
to constantly flick out her whip defensively.   
  
Looks like I need more space to seize the offensive…  
  
Her cloak billowing in dark clouds about her, Nagi jumped back,  
and momentarily the wreath of violet about her lashed out like a  
striking snake in an attack for his head as his sweep passed  
under her feet. Kova stepped back, and the tip just flicked by his  
face, leaving a tiny red dot in his forehead where the tip had just  
grazed his face.   
  
Rather than allowing the fright of the close shave to cow him,  
Kova cursed at losing his advantage, and bounded after Nagi,  
but she was ready and alert this time. The whip lashed out and  
the tip curled in a lightning arc with blinding speed. Kova  
dodged aside but Nagi quickly flicked it after him, and as he  
righted himself the scythe was held up to ward off the blow.  
Even as the blow landed Nagi smiled and stepped half a step  
closer, sending a slight tingle up her weapon, and as her  
weapon recoiled, as Kova made to surge forward again, the  
front centre segment curled out of its recoil and snapped back  
in an almost physically impossible backlash aimed for  
something…  
  
Stinging pain shot up Kova's left hand as the blow flicked lightly  
across the back of his palm to open a line of crimson there,  
before the whip curled around the scythe and the bounty hunter  
pulled. Nagi's smile brightened for a moment as she felt him  
start, losing his grip from the sudden pain  
  
Kova's eyes widened with fear as Nagi casually sent his  
weapon spinning away diagonally behind her, and he took a  
fearful step back before her, staring behind as if beseeching aid  
from…  
  
Kiyone!?  
  
He thought, genuinely surprised as he noted she was no longer  
there.  
  
In that same instant, Nagi's smile died, as, instead of pressing  
on her attack in his moment of weakness, common sense and  
experience drowned out the satisfaction of cowing her foe …  
  
No… he's NOT that bad, he must have let me strike him, let go of  
his weapon, and now he's looking away hoping I'll seize the  
opportunity of his distraction…  
  
Tilting her head slightly back, she just made out a flicker…  
  
Nagi quit the spot, as the keen edge of azure spun in from  
behind, ripping through the air with deadly speed. A purple  
lightning heralded the outward lash of the whip even as Nagi  
leaped away, its tip just catching the scythe in its returning  
trajectory.  
  
Smiling to himself, Kova adroitly jumped back before the blaze  
of the explosion sundered the darkness with searing cerulean  
light.   
  
====================================  
  
A while ago…  
  
Just as he was about to fall asleep, he glimpsed a little light from  
the window.  
  
Nothing, just a …  
  
SHIT!  
  
Sitting bolt upright, Seion started to full awakeness as he  
realised what he had seen, from his position lying on the futon  
facing the window, was a beam of golden laser streaking out  
into the darkness of the sky.  
  
Gotta nail that frigger mustn't let him hurt Kiyone!  
  
====================================  
  
Washu's smile, as she looked at the three comparatively young  
people staring at the box, facing her, died out as she saw a  
beam of gold flash out over the dark night sky.  
  
Not again…  
  
"Washu?" Tenchi, looking up to thank Washu, caught her  
expression as she hurried over to the window. Instinctively he  
got up to follow her, and Ryoko and Aeka stared at each other a  
moment in annoyance, then rolled their eyes.  
  
It was quite typical really, the way he suddenly forgot about  
them…  
  
"It's happening again…" Washu sighed.  
  
"What is?" Tenchi hurried over. He just barely registered  
making out flashes somewhere along the shrine steps when  
there was a sound, and a shadow leaped out from a window on  
the side of his bedroom onto the roof. "Huh?"  
  
Launching itself recklessly forward, the figure hit the ground  
running in the direction of the shrine steps even as Ryoko and  
Aeka joined Tenchi and Washu by the window sill.  
  
"What's going on here?" Ryoko asked.  
  
"That," Washu said, and Ryoko's eyes narrowed as she made  
out the surges of blue and violet against the steps, then the  
place sent out an extraordinarily bright flare of blue.  
  
"Nagi…" Ryoko growled, and before Washu could stop her, she  
vanished.  
  
"Damn her!" Washu cursed, staring at the spot where Ryoko  
had occupied, then hurried away from the window.  
  
"I don't understand!" Tenchi exclaimed, turning fretfully to Aeka.  
"I thought you said…"  
  
"I *did*!" Aeka replied, distraught. "I swore it, and she agreed!  
  
"Get a move on, you two!" Washu called as she ran out of the  
bedroom.  
  
"I have a bad feeling about this…" Tenchi murmured as he and  
Aeka rushed after Washu.  
  
====================================  
  
As the blinding blue light cleared, Kiyone brought both her  
blasters to bear on the direction Kova looked at just as she saw  
him, almost thirty steps further up the flight of stairs, grip the  
scythe, and then making out Nagi's shape, hesitated opening  
fire as Nagi was technically on her side of the law, and because  
she still remembered the services rendered by the bounty  
hunter the year before.   
  
Huh?   
  
For a moment, she thought she glimpsed some light green  
amongst the shadows by the side of the trees…  
  
Nagi shook her head a bit, trying to clear out the dots of bright  
light inundating her vision. The explosion had been rather far  
away from her, but nevertheless she could still feel the blistering  
pain that had came as waves of heat were sent against her flesh  
and blackened parts of her blue suit.  
  
The bastard…   
  
Blue eyes gleamed, and she ground her teeth together.  
  
He'll make a good challenge.  
  
The spy raced forward again, even as Nagi made out Ryoko  
materialising before them.  
  
"Ryoko, feel free to join in, although that means I'll have to  
forget about what we arranged earlier…" she muttered coolly,  
parrying a blow from the onrush of the scythe, and exuding  
confidence even as she knew for sure if Ryoko and Kova were  
to pit themselves against her at once she would be defeated.  
"Even if I don't kill you today…" Kova rolled away beneath the  
tip of her whip. "I'll kill you the next time…" Nagi just edged  
herself away so the blade just missed slitting her belly open.  
"And I'll never give up…" The lower handle of the scythe  
deflected another lethal strike from the bounty hunter. "Until you  
are dead…"  
  
Ryoko hesitated.  
  
I have Tenchi's love now… and Nagi promised Aeka…  
  
She looked away, only to see Kiyone some steps below, both  
blasters held down a little, peering into the forest for a moment,  
before watching the battle between the hunter and the hunted.  
The detective was alert and wary, hands gripping her blaster  
tightly, for if Kova faltered, she would have to open fire…  
  
"Ryoko, what's going on?" Kiyone asked, not taking her eyes  
from the combat. "Where are the rest of them?"  
  
"They'll be here soon… think you can manage?" Ryoko was no  
coward, but now that she realised what might be at stake for  
her, she would rather not participate, although she knew if  
Kiyone or Kova asked for her aid she would unhesitatingly lend  
them her might.  
  
"If he can, I can." Kiyone replied tersely, as Kova dodged  
another curling lash. Nagi was twirling her whip about and  
simply by applying twitches and flicks along the length of the  
weapon, she was practically attacking all the way. Weaving in  
and out about the perimeter of her attacks, the spy was fighting  
futilely to reach her, and was on the defensive already, for now  
that they were a good distance apart he no longer held the  
advantage, although the option of retreat was still open to him…  
  
====================================  
  
For a moment the shrouded sentinel within the shadows  
wondered if it would be wise to reveal itself, then made up its  
mind.  
  
"Mitsuki?" Seion exclaimed in surprise, as he saw his brunette  
colleague stumble out of the woods some several steps above  
him, limping painfully in her Galaxy Police uniform. "What  
happened? Is that bastard trying to kill Kiyone up there?" His  
hand tightened on the wooden handle of his Trident.  
  
Mitsuki, one hand resting on a tree for support, nodded tersely.  
  
The operative grimaced like he had been struck a blow. "I'll be  
right back, just lie low." Emerald eyes blazing, his green hair  
seemed to tremble as he spun around.  
  
Watching his turned back, for a moment she considered  
slipping out her weapon, but then she made out the movements  
of more figures heading in this direction…  
  
Best be sure, Mitsuki thought.  
  
Then Seion was off like a shot up the stairs, his rippling muscles  
and his almost feline movements making him seem like a  
majestic lion bounding up the steps in search of prey.  
  
Washu came running up after that, even as Mitsuki gingerly bent  
down to cradle her twisted ankle. "Oh, it's you! Sorry, Tenchi will  
probably help you along…" Something seemed to be gnawing  
away at her mind, filling her with a sense of urgency, as though  
she felt something was very wrong…  
  
Washu had barely got on her way when Tenchi and Aeka came  
running up, panting.  
  
"Mitsuki, what's wrong?" Tenchi halted to look worriedly at her,  
the rational part of him finally deciding that Washu, Ryoko and  
Kova should be enough to handle Nagi, and he really should  
have to try to eradicate the part of him that made him start to run  
when there was someone else in the lead.  
  
Aeka hesitated, wondering if she should help Mitsuki.  
  
Well, it is best I do not go against Nagi again, or she might  
revoke that favour, and at least now I'm with Tenchi.  
  
"Nothing," Mitsuki mumbled, her voice barely audible. "Just an  
ankle's…" pushing lightly off the tree, she tried to move, and fell  
forward onto the ground with an almost muted whimper. Tenchi  
felt his heart stir as he saw her look up at him, biting her lips, her  
eyes filled with a kind of reluctant pleading…  
  
Almost instinctively, Tenchi moved over to help her.  
  
"Here, let me help you…"  
  
As Aeka hurried over behind him, and Mitsuki reached out a  
hand for him, the other one near her holster, Tenchi blinked as  
he thought he caught an icy cold gleam in the policewoman's  
eye…  
  
Huh?  
  
He just managed to recall that Mitsuki was last seen by himself  
wearing this uniform, *wet*, and had been entering Kiyone's  
apartment to…  
  
Then!?  
  
And her other hand…  
  
Tenchi had just the sense of mind to throw himself away and  
aside as Mitsuki whipped out her blaster, and the golden beam  
burst out from its muzzle, streaking by his left side and under  
his left arm, causing the boy to break out in cold sweat…  
  
Whew… he thought.  
  
There was a shriek of agony from behind him.  
  
What the… *AEKA*!!  
  
Mitsuki, smiling evilly as the princess staggered back, loosed  
another round at Aeka, who, mustering her will despite the pain,  
just managed to create a forcefield long enough to make out  
another golden beam coruscating off it before the onrush of  
pain swamped her, and she could feel herself weakening and  
toppling backwards.  
  
Tenchi-ken shone out against the steps even as Aeka's  
forcefield shimmered into nothingness with the evaporation of  
the princess' concentration, its blue blade deflecting another  
salvo aimed at Aeka and Tenchi, while Mitsuki backflipped away,  
her finger never letting up for even a moment on her trigger.  
  
Tenchi's arm caught Aeka before she fell, pulling her close, even  
as Mitsuki vanished back into the forest, as his other arm held  
his sword poised to defend them from any more attacks from  
that quarter…  
  
"I'm here, Aeka, I'm here…" Tenchi felt himself being drawn into  
the half closed, amethyst eyes. He could feel his fingers sticky  
with the blood ebbing from her side, and forced himself not to  
look at the bloodied hole in her lower dress, where the beam  
had entered her left pelvic bone and burst out behind.  
  
"Tenchi…" Aeka managed a weak smile.   
  
"You'll be fine… you'll be fine…" Tenchi's voice trembled as his  
vision blurred.  
  
"You…" Aeka murmured. "…mustn't cry…"  
  
"Aeka, NO!" Tenchi found his voice no longer obeyed him. "I  
love you, love you, please don't go…"  
  
A surge of energy seemed to flow through Aeka at those words,  
and though she couldn't reply, she kept her eyes focused on  
Tenchi.  
  
He seems so caring so handsome so worried…  
  
"RYOKO, WASHU, somebody, anybody help me!!!" Tenchi  
screamed at the top of his voice, his words echoing emptily  
along the hillside like the heartbroken cry of a bereaved man.  
  
He doesn't want me to leave him…  
  
"Aeka, Aeka! You'll be fine…"  
  
She dimly felt his free arm pull her close to him, press her upper  
body tight to him, and her eyes refused to close, refused to  
leave his face, though the red haze hemmed in…  
  
…so I must stay…  
  
====================================  
  
"RYOKO, WASHU, somebody, anybody help me!!!"  
  
Washu and Ryoko started and stared back down the stairs. The  
red-haired scientist, realising Ryoko's instinctive impulse would  
be to rush over and help, realised there was no way she could  
reach Ryoko before she reacted. "Ryoko!"  
  
The space pirate just appeared beside Tenchi and the fallen  
Aeka,as she heard Washu's voice call from further up the steps.  
"Get Aeka back! Then get Azaka and Kamadake!"  
  
"Ryoko…?" Tenchi's voice trembled as the space pirate laid a  
hand on his shoulder, and another on Aeka's, but the princess  
seemed not to be cognisant of her presence, her almost closed  
eyes still staring right at Tenchi's face.  
  
The space pirate did not answer as the three of them  
dematerialised and vanished from the hillside.  
  
====================================  
  
Even as Tenchi's cry rang out, Kiyone turned around, and her  
eyes widened as she saw Seion rushing up the stairs towards  
her, his face grim and determined as the green tip of his weapon  
glinted like chill metal in the night.  
  
Oh no…  
  
Turning back ahead she saw Kova and Nagi locked in  
desperate combat, two darkened forms whirling about the steps  
with blue and violet lightning streaking between them like some  
kind of deadly, tempestuous forcefield. By falling back on  
defending with the spasmodic assaults, Kova had stabilised the  
situation into some kind of deadlock, where Nagi attacked, albeit  
mindful of the possible counterstrikes, and Kova defended,  
watching eagerly for any tiny gap to exploit.  
  
If Seion joins in, Kova-chan will be in trouble…   
  
She fired twice with her standard issue weapon, sending her  
lasers between Nagi and Kova, only to rebound out against the  
surface of the weapons, and aware that Seion was watching  
even as he drew nearer, she dared not open fire at Nagi…  
  
The grey metal of a barrel glinted, once, as a bright yellow laser  
streaked out towards the ground between the two combatants.  
  
Kova's grim expression turned to shock and Nagi, catching the  
change in his demeanour, started too…  
  
"Holy shit!" As he drew level with Kiyone, Seion exclaimed as he  
saw the stairs ahead engulfed in another eruption, only this time  
it was golden, and greater than the earlier one. "That is some  
shot!" His Imperial Tiger was more powerful, but… "From a  
wimpy K-12? Hell, Washu *is* good, I'll say!"   
  
Kiyone didn't reply, her eyes searching, praying she had not  
hurt anyone, especially him, inadvertantly. Sure enough, even  
before the light had died cleared, Nagi and Kova landed on their  
feet on either sides of the ruined steps, both apparently having  
reacted on time, and there was the slightest flicker from Kova's  
forearms.  
  
"There he is!" Seion yelled.   
  
Kova, hearing Seion, realised Kiyone's intention.  
  
Thank you…  
  
He resisted giving her a thumbs up and melted into the sides of  
the forest, his scythe flashing out of existence into a  
nondescript rod, even as Seion and Nagi, with the bounty  
hunter much closer to him, rushed in hot on his heels and  
Kiyone loosed two regular shots from her GP blaster at his  
receding figure.  
  
"He's getting away! Let's go, Kiyone!" the operative cried,  
cutting into the forest and running diagonally uphill towards the  
direction the criminal might have taken.  
  
"Yes, sir!" Kiyone, worried what might happen if Seion and Nagi  
managed to corner Kova, sprinted after Seion into the forest.  
  
About twenty steps behind Seion and Kiyone, Washu, huffing  
slightly from the exertion, thought she made out, a figure on the  
level where Kova and Nagi had fought, crossing in from the  
woods on other side of the steps where Nagi had emerged, by  
strolling out from within the dense smoke of the explosive blast.  
She just barely made out a white shine of moonlight off the  
place where the person's eyes were, before the figure vanished  
into the gap among the trees in the forest where Kova and Nagi  
had entered.  
  
I have a bad feeling about this…   
  
Her heart full of misgivings, Washu cut directly into the forest  
after Seion and Kiyone, urgency lending her strength.  
  
However, while preoccupied with watching the figure cross over  
through the smoke from the other side, Washu failed to notice  
another shadow some twenty metres further inside the forest on  
her own side, passing by her level as it ran extremely rapidly up  
the slope in the general direction where Seion, Kiyone, Nagi and  
Kova were heading…  
  
====================================  
  
"What did Washu tell you to do!?" Tenchi asked Ryoko  
frantically, as he deposited Aeka on his bed. The princess  
showed no outward sign of consciousness, except that she  
kept her half opened eyes on Tenchi, who kept his face always  
in her line of sight. "How the hell am I supposed to know how to  
get Azaka and Kamadake!?"  
  
"I don't know!" Ryoko shot back. "You're the Juraian, how  
should I know?"  
  
Tenchi could only look distraught as he saw the blood soaking  
into and spreading over the bedding. "But I don't …" He  
blinked…  
  
I am Juraian, I have Jurai power, and Aeka is of Jurai too…  
  
Laying his hands on the princess' shoulders, Tenchi  
concentrated, trying to reach into himself and to channel the  
power lying within him into Aeka's half conscious form.   
  
Ryoko watched anxiously, as for a brief moment about Tenchi's  
hands, a dim, faint sky blue glow seem to rise up, almost  
invisible, and the princess started slightly as she felt the pain  
recede before the warm energy that seem to flow from his hands  
into her consciousness, giving her strength to move her lips  
again and raise her eyelids somewhat, but Tenchi did not see it  
through his closed eyes.  
  
"It… it's not working," with a boneweary sigh, Tenchi's  
shoulders slumped forward, his face that glistening with beads  
of sweat from his exertions, even as his voice trembled. "It's not  
healing her…"  
  
"Tenchi…" Aeka smiled very gently, and Ryoko's felt something  
inside her tremble as she saw the princess' fragile, almost  
ethereally so, expression of tenderness and thankfulness.  
  
"Are you … all right?" Tenchi started in amazement as his  
brown eyes gazed upon her, his voice soft with weariness but  
full of concern as well.  
  
"She's still losing blood!" Ryoko watched as the bloodstain on  
the sheets darkened and spread some more. "Aeka, get Azaka  
and Kamadake!"  
  
Through the haze of pain, the image of Tenchi looking down  
upon her with that pleading, hopeful gaze of his, the gaze that  
forbade her from leaving him, shone through the entirety of the  
princess' being, sheltering her mind from the distress of her  
body even as his energy gave it the strength to transcend the  
physical weakness of her body…  
  
Azaka, Kamadake, come to me…  
  
Ryoko moved back as the logs materialised on either side of the  
bed. "Help them, you two!"  
  
"We can't." Azaka said.   
  
Kamadake added. "We can only protect her…"  
  
"AEKA!" Tenchi cried, his hands gripping the princess'  
shoulders hard, as she was about to slip back into  
unconsciousness again. "Please, help her!"  
  
"Can't you Knights of Jurai do *anything*?" Ryoko berated  
them in frustration.  
  
"That's right!" Kamadake's hollow voice debated thoughtfully.  
"We could…"  
  
Ryoko looked at Azaka in surprise, for even before Kamadake  
had finished his first sentence, the holographic figure of a tall  
Juraian Knight, the incarnation of Azaka, clad in his standard  
dark blue robes, gradually materialised before the log's surface,  
and the light from both logs glimmered to almost darkness as  
they used their energy to open the communication channel  
between here and Jurai.  
  
"What happened!?" The ancient knight exclaimed in shock, as  
he made out the inert form of the seemingly comatose princess.  
  
"Azaka?" Tenchi looked up, his face ashen with worry, and  
turned to face the hologram. "Please, help me! Tell me how to  
help Aeka!"   
  
"I'm not sure if you can do it… Juraian power hasn't been used  
for healing reasons since the advent of modern medicine on  
Jurai, about two generations after my own…"  
  
"I don't care about that!" Tenchi shouted. "Tell me how to save  
Aeka!" He ground his teeth together. "That's an order!"  
  
"I'll try then, lord Tenchi…" Azaka gulped. "Now place your  
hands on lady Aeka and visualise yourself as…"  
  
As a strong blue halo of energy materialised about Tenchi's  
forearms, Ryoko was about to watch further when she was  
suddenly reminded that outside there might still be more trouble  
brewing…  
  
====================================  
  
Kiyone hurried through the forest, seeing the fleeting figure of  
Seion rushing through ahead, weaving in and out between the  
trees. As to how far he saw ahead, she could only guess, but  
inside she found herself hoping they wouldn't catch up with  
Kova…  
  
There was a rustle of a movement from somewhere behind, and,  
sensing movement, she spun around, blaster at the ready.  
  
Only to be greeted by a wry smile, azure eyes shining with  
mischief, his comely, calm face framed by locks almost as dark  
blue as the night sky itself.  
  
Oh, it's just Kova-chan…  
  
Swiftly she waved him away, in the opposite direction, down the  
hillside, whispering as loudly as she dared. "Get the hell out of  
here, quick! I'll lead him away!"   
  
Then Kiyone quickly turned around and headed to the side after  
Seion as the spy nodded tersely in response to her words, half  
turning as if to go.  
  
Quite abruptly, he paused, turning to look at her receding back,  
then grinned, and his hand reached into his jacket…  
  
====================================  
  
Kiyone?  
  
Seion thought, wondering if his team member was following  
him, and feeling something amiss in not hearing her moving  
through the woods after him, he turned around slightly.  
  
Okay, she's there, let's…  
  
His eyes narrowed as he made out what seemed like a dark  
outline of a shoulder behind Kiyone.  
  
Is that a figure I see behind her?  
  
Even through the shadows of the trees, he realised the person  
was in a half turn, right shoulder facing them, right hand  
reaching in to pull out something…  
  
Kiyone just turned in front to see Seion frozen, looking back  
over her shoulder then…  
  
"Take cover!" He shouted, his hand moving up in a blur, and as  
his Trident was hurled towards her, an azure laser was loosed  
and sent streaking towards Kiyone's back, even as Kiyone  
instinctively hurled herself sideways to the ground to avoid the  
teal metal edge skimming through the darkness at her.  
  
As she rolled over onto her feet, she took a sharp intake of  
breath in astonishment as she glimpsed the Trident fly by her  
form to deflect the blue beam from its path where it would have  
struck her in the back, before impaling itself into a tree trunk.  
  
"Kova-chan!?" She murmured half in shock, looking at where  
he had stood, but he was not there...  
  
Another blue beam shot out from about ten metres to the side of  
where Kova had stood, just behind and out of the stunned  
Kiyone's line of sight.  
  
"Watch out!" Desperately, Seion dived towards her even as he  
drew his Tiger Cub, firing in the direction of the lasers. Kiyone  
felt the operative's body slam into hers from the side, and an  
instant later there was the blue beam struck his form and a low  
groan of pain escaped his lips, but even as he landed he loosed  
two more rounds at the distant figure.  
  
Unable to make out in the dark if Seion was hurt badly, Kiyone  
quickly opened fire in the direction of the shots, and there were  
several dull booms as the forest shook under her explosive  
charges, then all was still, before she quickly asked, not taking  
her eyes off the forest. "You all right?"  
  
"Sure I am… just some scratches, ain't much…" Seion smiled a  
little on the ground, but she could not see it in the dark, and this  
time she could hear the pain in his voice rather than the  
overwhelmingly indignant tone that characterised most of his  
exclamations about Kova. "Now you go nail him a good one for  
me," there was another drawing of breath as he sat up, and the  
last word that came out was weak. "Okay?"  
  
Kiyone blinked, and quickly glanced down at him. "Seion?" She  
quickly bent down by his side, trying to make out in the dark  
where he had been hit.  
  
"I'm all right, Kiyone…" he breathed, trying to force his agonised  
body to get to its feet, and his Tiger Cub slid into a pocket in his  
tight pants, which were beginning to soak red.  
  
Kiyone's eyes widened as she made out, on his bared torso,  
just on the right of and slightly above his belly button, was a  
bloodied hole two inches in diameter, where the beam had gone  
through his body…  
  
"Oh god…" She brought her left hand up to her mouth in horror,  
as Seion grunted in pain, nearly falling and catching a tree trunk.  
"You don't look good."   
  
In fact he should be dead, something said in Kiyone's mind …  
  
Turning to the forest in the direction of the steps. "Emergency!  
Medical help urgently required!"  
  
"Forget me! Just go get that asshole for me, will you?"  
  
"Seion… I don't know how to tell you this, but I don't think that  
was him…" Kiyone closed her eyes, and a tear fell from her eye.  
Whether it was from the sense of betrayal she felt for the person  
looking like Kova trying to kill her, the gratefulness for Seion  
taking the shot for her, or sorrow at Seion's pain, she was not  
quite sure.  
  
"Really?" His voice was subsiding into a whisper already, as he  
leaned back against a tree trunk, his body screaming at him as  
he tried to straighten it.  
  
"I…" she murmured, then the frustration welled up in her again,  
and she screamed to the forest. "DAMNIT WHAT THE F*** IS  
GOING ON!?" Her blasters rose up, taking aim as a short figure  
emerged from in the direction of the stairs. "Name yourself!"  
She cried, unwilling to take any more chances.  
  
"Don't shoot! I'm Washu!" Sure enough, she could make out the  
red shade of the scientist's hairs, but didn't she just see Kova  
just now? As for the voice, she had to make sure.  
  
"Describe Mihoshi in your lab!" Kiyone's mind just latched onto  
the most identifying statement she could think of.  
  
Washu blinked, then "Don't touch *anything*…!" she  
announced in clear but strangled tones, put her hand to her  
head and fell back as though she would faint.  
  
As Kiyone lowered her weapons, Washu moved over. "Who's  
hurt?"  
  
Kiyone pointed at the figure leaning against the tree,   
  
"Nice gun, Washu…" Seion answered, weakly, as Washu  
quickly donned her nightvision goggles, which she had gotten  
seemingly from out of thin air…  
  
"HUH!?" Washu exclaimed. "What the hell!? This guy is  
TALKING!?"  
  
"Just help him!" Kiyone cried, looking around anxiously. "I'll  
provide cover…" Looking around, she sensed a movement in  
the air near the steps, and raised her blasters at the ready as the  
person materialised in mid air.   
  
"Huh?" Ryoko asked the empty stairs, where she had last seen  
Kova and Nagi fighting. "Anyone here?" She did not notice  
Kiyone and Washu a good distance into the forest.  
  
Okay, Kiyone thought, that definitely is Ryoko…  
  
Still tending to Seion's wound, Washu heard the space pirate…  
"Ryoko! Over here!"  
  
Seion grimaced slightly as Washu let him lean forward on her,  
and wound the bandage quickly around Seion's waist, after  
adding powder that would act both as anaesthetic, clotting  
reagent and regenerative enhancers over his flesh.   
  
Ryoko was peering anxiously about as she flew towards them.  
"Hey, what's the big deal?" She asked, looking around  
curiously, expecting to see Nagi or at least some kind of fight  
going on, but there was nothing.  
  
"Ryoko, get Seion back in the house," Washu ordered. "He's  
lucky to be even alive, and needs a good rest. How's Aeka?"  
  
Ryoko's eyes widened a little as she made out the large patch of  
blood about the bandage. "Uh, yeah, he looks pretty bad…  
Tenchi is trying to help her."  
  
"Wait!" Seion got out weakly.   
  
Washu ignored him. "Ryoko, if Aeka's condition has stabilised,  
get Tenchi back out here. We might need his swordarm." She  
tilted her head urgently in Seion's direction.  
  
The operative gave one last try. "Rat… must catch…"  
  
Kiyone glared at Seion, and sternly nodded at Ryoko, who  
seized Seion's hand before he could protest, and the pair  
vanished. Kiyone allowed herself a smile as she thought how he  
reminded her of Kova, then remembering the strange events of  
the night…  
  
There's still Nagi… and that strange Kova…  
  
She felt a chill run down her spine as she thought what might  
happen…  
  
Washu, watching Kiyone's expression change, broke out into a  
run as Kiyone did.  
  
====================================  
  
About the time Kiyone noticed someone behind her…  
  
The combatants, their breaths leaving them in ragged gasps,  
glared at each other once again, giving each other half a  
second's respite, before crossing swords again, amidst flashes  
of light. As soon as he had ascertained pursuit was left a  
respectable distance behind, at least for the moment, Kova had  
stopped to engage Nagi again.  
  
"Damn you!"  
  
The bounty hunter cursed again, as she avoided another lethal  
sweep of the cruelly curved blade, wielded by her grim-faced  
adversary.  
  
What the hell? Back there I had got him on the defensive, but  
now each attack of his is becoming more and more threatening!  
And why can't I hurt him?  
  
The blade arced down towards Nagi's side, even as Kova  
exposed his left forearm to the sting of the whip once again. As  
Nagi leaped away from the strike, the tip of her violet weapon  
flying straight and true, she once again felt the whip strike  
something about his forearm, and then there was a brief flash as  
whatever it was vanished again from existence. Seizing the  
intiative, Kova followed up with his blade swivelling diagonally  
upwards towards her, pushing the handle out away as he  
extended the blade, and as Nagi lashed out to block the blow,  
Kova jumped forward bringing his scythe in another sweeping  
curl diagonally from the side. The bounty hunter quickly dived  
away, her whip flicking out for his right forearm, and again there  
was a brief crackle of energy, before, as she got to her feet, the  
curl changed in mid air into a horizontal sweep to the waist.  
Sparks leaped up as Nagi deflected the attack with the  
midsection of her whip, while the tip, almost a separate entity  
under her masterly control, flicked out again, and Kova drew  
back as she felt another force ward her blow from cutting into  
his arm's flesh.  
  
He must have some kind of shield about him, a defence that he  
does not wish me to know about.  
  
Deciding thus, she moved in, this time ignoring invitations to  
attack his seemingly unguarded forearms, only attacking his  
body and taking care not to open herself too much to assault as  
she sometimes did when faced by a lesser foe, and the two  
clashed again, testing their wits as well as pitting their skills in  
whirls of shining power between each other, ere a cry broke into  
the fragile equllibrium of their contest.  
  
"DAMNIT WHAT THE F*** IS GOING ON!?"  
  
Kiyone!?  
  
Kova felt his concentration break as he heard her anguished cry  
of confusion in the darkness of the night, and just barely  
managed to bring his scythe up to spin in a blur and parry  
Nagi's triple strikes with the whip, each to his chest, head, and  
waist respectively. Nagi smiled as she moved in before he could  
recover, her weapon snaking out, jabbing viciously in a  
continuous barrage at his form, as Kova fell back under the  
flickering barrage.  
  
What's wrong with Kiyone?  
  
He slipped, nearly losing his grip on his scythe as a feint by  
Nagi nearly took him in the shoulder, except that the base of his  
scythe just managed to fend it off.  
  
Concentrate! Or you won't live to see her again!  
  
Several golden beams shot out from diagonally behind Kova, to  
his right, streaking towards Nagi. The bounty hunter frowned in  
irritation, flicking her whip twice to deflect the lasers, but by then  
Kova had recovered from losing his balance earlier. Striking out  
with his scythe, Kova forced Nagi to back off a little, and seizing  
the respite he quickly backed away further, as Nagi was fended  
off the continual salvo being fired at her.  
  
"Chief Inspector Kiyone, are you out of your mind!?" She cried  
out in consternation as she made out the form of the  
green-haired detective. "If news of this gets back to the Galaxy  
Police Headquarters, it's over for your career!"  
  
"Thanks, Kiyone-chan," Kova smiled gratefully as he turned to  
see Kiyone standing there, green eyes fixed determinedly on  
Nagi's form, her rapid firing never letting up for an instant, as  
she moved over to back him up. "And don't worry… just give  
the word, and I assure you news of this won't ever get back to  
your Headquarters." His eyes gleamed dangerously at the  
bounty hunter, for much as he respected Nagi's prowess, being  
forced back and hemmed in continually was not a pleasant  
experience, not to mention that she was ultimately, a foe.  
  
From behind them, another figure watched, as Kiyone walked  
briskly towards Kova while continuing to fire, moving almost too  
briskly and urgently towards him.  
  
There is something odd here, something strange…  
  
Unseen eyes narrowed, as swift feet rapidly covered the  
distance between the watcher and where Kova stood, even as  
Kiyone drew nearer. Kova waited, watching for when Nagi  
would either advance to press her attack or back off, or ready  
for when Kiyone would cease her fire and he could challenge  
the bounty hunter again. Nagi, only too aware what he was  
waiting for, found herself caught in the grip of uncertainty,  
unsure whether to turn her back when she had not been hurt, or  
to take on what might well prove too much for her to handle.  
  
Kiyone smiled crookedly as she saw Kova's attention intent on  
his opponent, her footsteps bringing her almost beside him, and  
her hand twisted slightly, so the barrel was aiming right for…  
  
It was at that precise moment, that the shadow leaped out…  
  
WHAT THE…!?  
  
Kova thought, as for the second time that night, another yellow  
beam grazed his head, causing him to instinctively execute a  
diagonal roll, and as the beam sped over to Nagi, he stood up  
facing the back, his face pale from fright, not so much as for his  
close encounter with death, but that it was Kiyone behind him…  
  
Huh?  
  
His eyes widened as he saw Kiyone struggling against a  
person, gripping her right wrist tightly and aiming her blaster to  
the sky. Light glinted off the glasses and greying hair, and as  
Kiyone threw a punch with her free hand at the person while  
trying to sweep his legs out from under him with her right leg, he  
stepped back easily to her right, his form, clad in white robes,  
just avoiding her blow as his legs stepped just over her sweep.  
  
"Lord Yosho!?" Kova exclaimed in astonishment, but the  
emotion rapidly changed to anger as he took in Kiyone's  
distraught expression. "Let go of her, you bastard!"   
  
An arc of blue flashed through the air, and the ex crown prince  
of Jurai retreated, as Kiyone half stumbled back towards Kova,  
cradling her wrist, and her hand held her blaster limply.   
  
"You don't know what you're doing, boy!" Katsuhito  
commanded, his face stern with a hint of anger.   
  
"Don't know what *I* am doing !?" Kova countered, his face  
black like a thundercloud. "*You* nearly got me killed!"  
  
"No, I…" Katsuhito tried, then he saw something coming from  
behind Kova. "Watch out!!"   
  
The spy just barely managed to react, as the scythe blocked the  
main swipe by Nagi at his side, then the whip's curl drew  
another shallow line of crimson along his right upper arm. Nagi  
smiled as her weapon curled out again, then as Kova warded off  
the blow with his left forearm, she nodded as she saw the laser  
shield form over his limb from his armlet.  
  
So, he really does have some kind of protection…  
  
The scythe flew out as he counterattacked almost recklessly,  
his weapon flashing in and out quickly, and Nagi pulled back a  
moment from the ferocity of the assault. Kova, face set grimly  
into a mask of determination, decided to forget about exposing  
his shields, and his forearms were both encased in blue energy  
as he prepared to press home against his adversary.  
  
Katsuhito nodded at the spy's prowess, then suddenly  
remembered, too late…  
  
"Unngh!!" Kova exclaimed, as he felt sharp pain explode within  
him, streaking from his left shoulder and chest to envelope his  
form, then the golden beam burst out from under his left  
collarbone towards Nagi. His vision wavered, and he nearly fell  
to his knees…  
  
"Oh no…" Kiyone gasped, but it was not from the hard running,  
but rather as through the shadows of the trees she made out  
Kova's form seem to topple forward, then with an almost  
superhuman effort he forced himself to stagger around.   
  
Looking into the metallic barrel of the blaster and behind it, into  
cold green eyes topping a malicious smile of triumph framed by  
long green hair, Kova weakly pleaded. "Why…?"  
  
"Because," Kiyone smiled sweetly, her soft, almost sibilant,  
voice announcing her stand crisply and coldly, taking aim at his  
head, and Kova trembled as the chill, numbing fear hit him hard,  
while the pain from his wound stopped him from thinking  
clearly, letting his misgivings in his heart amplify the impact of  
the blow…  
  
She… wants me… dead!?  
  
Then he closed his eyes, resigned to his fate…  
  
If Kiyone doesn't love me, then I might as well be dead.  
  
====================================  
  
"Now slowly, imagine yourself, drawing back gently, returning  
the power you have embraced to the world about you…"  
  
As if in a surreal dream, Tenchi saw himself step back, as the  
azure wreaths of energy travelled from the tree looming over  
him back into his body, and he felt a soothing emotion pass into  
him, as if a satisfied contentment from having done what he had  
sought to do, even though he felt drained. Aeka lay where he  
had laid her down, at the foot of the tree, but unlike when she  
had first been brought here, her breathing was even and restful,  
rather than tortured and laboured, and her face was no longer  
pale…  
  
As he slowly backed away from the garden, seeing it dissolve  
away into blackness, he thought he glimpsed an angelic,  
fairy-like ethereal lady with beautiful blue hair, step out of the  
tree to comfort Aeka, then all faded into the familiar darkness.  
  
Wearily, Tenchi opened his eyes. His entire body felt drained,  
but he felt oddly serene. Turning to the hologram of Azaka,  
"Thank you…" he mumbled, softly.  
  
The Knight nodded, with something close to incredulity, respect  
and pride all visible on his face. "Thank Tsunami Princess Aeka  
has one such as you by her side…" then the hologram  
shimmered into nothingness…  
  
As Tenchi slumped forward he was dimly aware of movement  
behind him. Gritting his teeth, he gripped his sword and half  
turned around, half expecting to see an enemy emerge…  
  
"It's me!" Ryoko said, gently laying Seion down on the floor.  
  
"Hey… why here?" The operative asked, still weakly, but the his  
old cheery indignance had returned to his voice again.  
"Kiyone's out there…"   
  
Tenchi's eyes widened as he noted the blood saturated layer of  
material that Washu had hastily put about Seion's waist. "What  
happened!?"  
  
"Is Aeka all right?" Ryoko asked, urgently. "Are you okay?"  
  
"I did my best, it should be working out…" Sure enough, the  
colour had returned to the princess' face, and Tenchi smiled a  
little. "I'm a little tired, but that's all…"  
  
"I'm not tired…" Seion tried to get a word between, but Ryoko  
ignored him.  
  
"Think you have energy to fight?" Ryoko pressed, moving  
closer to Tenchi. "Washu said we might need your help…"  
  
Tenchi sighed in fatigue, then realising he could not bear to  
leave any of his friends, or even just acquaintances, in the lurch,  
nodded. "Okay, let's go then…"  
  
"Take me too!" the operative on the ground tried again, and this  
time his voice was stronger and more spunky already, but as he  
reached out Ryoko quickly seized Tenchi by the hand. The  
space pirate took a quick glance out the window at where the  
flashes of light indicating combat was coming from, then the  
two vanished.  
  
Seion cursed weakly as his hand flailed about empty air…  
  
Slow… I'm slow…  
  
He closed his eyes and lay back. The pain was subsiding  
rapidly, partly due to Washu's help, but not entirely to her credit.  
  
Please, let Kiyone be safe…  
  
====================================  
  
As Kova had agonisingly turned around, Nagi had hesitated,  
wondering if she should take him down…  
  
He's hurt…  
  
His bounty is falling!  
  
It's not a fair challenge.  
  
He's not Ryoko…  
  
But he's *very* good.  
  
Yes, and therefore I may never get a chance like this.  
  
She made up her mind, and dashed forward, violet whip ablaze,  
as Katsuhito's bokken lashed out in readiness to knock  
Kiyone's aim at Kova's head awry again, but before it  
connected, a golden streak shot out of the depths of the forest,  
and Kiyone started in shock as the beam sliced into her hand,  
severing it at the right wrist.  
  
Seeing Kiyone was no longer a threat, Katsuhito quickly made  
out the hooded, sable cloaked figure of Nagi racing in for the kill,  
like a triumphant shadow in the night. The bokken changed  
direction in midstroke, as Katsuhito stepped forward beside  
Kova as Nagi's weapon sliced through the air, moving so  
quickly and with the bounty hunter so intent upon her prey that  
she could not react in time. Nagi winced as she felt a numbing  
sensation shoot through her hand as the wooden sword struck  
the back of her hand, but her blow was not completely  
neutralised.  
  
"KOVA!" Kiyone screamed as she and Washu burst into the  
clearing, from the direction where Kova had first seen her  
imposter appear, only to see the whip lash into the standing yet  
seemingly comatose spy's back. There was no cry or  
exclamation of pain, only a spasm of agony as his eyes shot  
open in mute testimony to his pain, then he collapsed to his  
knees, his fingers only loosely holding his scythe, and the light  
from the weapon seemed to be muted…  
  
Nagi was about to strike out again, when a golden and a pink  
blast forced her back, then blinked as she saw the hand of the  
Kiyone facing Kova regenerate, complete with the GP blaster.  
Yosho arched an eyebrow at the move, then quickly turned to  
try to stop the imposter from firing, and as his bokken was  
brought to bear, a golden laser sword formed in the  
pseudo-cop's left hand to parry his stroke.  
  
There was a blur of movement, so fast that it seemed to almost  
defy the laws of light and vision itself, then the false Kiyone  
watched with dismay as her right arm and shoulder slid off and  
tumbled onto the ground. Katsuhito, standing behind her,  
turned around, bokken at the ready, and his ready and willing  
combat stance did not change even as the wooden blade quite  
theatrically fell onto the ground.  
  
Nagi blinked again, for the Kiyone before her seemed to feel no  
pain, only thrust the golden laser sword forward in an attempt to  
finish the job, but Katsuhito seized her shoulder and pulled her  
back, as Kova, his eyes wide and unseeing, gently fell back. The  
cyborg Kiyone, for such as it was, swung around, sword  
striking out at Katsuhito, but he just calmly stepped away as the  
golden blade just swept short of his chest, while another series  
of golden and red beams struck into her torso and legs,  
ineffectually.  
  
The fresh surge of pain as his back struck the ground jolted  
Kova into semi consciousness, and Nagi was about to surge  
forward and press home her advantage again, when Tenchi and  
Ryoko materialised beside her, causing her to start in surprise  
and wariness.  
  
"Tenchi, here!" Katsuhito cried, catching the cyborg in the small  
of its back with his leg, and its blade just missed slicing into  
Kova's prostrate form.   
  
Thus distracted by the sudden appearance of Tenchi and  
Ryoko so close by, Nagi just managed to make out the  
movement in the air towards her in time to send Kiyone's yoyo  
bouncing off her whip…  
  
Barely conscious, Kova made out, upside-down, the flicker of  
yellow laser lines from the yoyo against Nagi's violet whip, even  
as Tenchi ran in towards him from the side…  
  
Nagi…   
  
His eyes narrowed.  
  
It's all your fault…  
  
Raw, unreasoning fury and resentment bubbled up from within  
him, and his right hand flicked up, before falling down limply  
over his face. Tenchi's eyes widened in shock as the lethal  
scythe swept by him, just past his left shoulder, and as Nagi  
looked up at the whirling blade, the vengeful wrath of the fallen  
speeding towards her from within the darkness, she reflexively  
curled her whip up to meet the threat…  
  
Kova closed his eyes restfully as the figure of his nemesis was  
enveloped in the eruption of light blue that seared through the  
night's shadows, and he dimly felt the heat from the blast on his  
face through the pain in his body even as Ryoko dived away.  
  
There… I surrender myself…  
  
As Nagi's limp form was hurled away by the force from the  
detonation, she thought she saw through her blurring vision a  
line of silver falling forward away towards Kova.  
  
Tricked! She berated herself, then her body thudded against the  
ground, three metres from where she had stood, and she  
wouldn't, or couldn't, get up again…  
  
Tenchi felt the heat and light from explosion, but he just ground  
his teeth together and his steps didn't slow, as forgetting his  
weariness, he let his training take over. Just as he drew near the  
false Kiyone's right arm grew back, and was about to form  
another golden laser sword in its hand before Tenchi's  
speeding sword hacked its new limb off, and the boy ducked  
under the sweep of the other blade. Kiyone, rushing in with her  
blaster firing and yoyo hurtling out, watched as the impact from  
Katsuhito's light blow, seemingly just a casual nudge in the  
side, and from her yoyo striking the right foot of the cyborg,  
caused it to slip slightly to the side, and Tenchi, almost as  
though dancing elegantly, slid his sword up and into the  
cyborg's left side, then turning slightly, sent its arm tumbling to  
the ground as the golden laser sword flashed out of existence.  
  
The cyborg Kiyone stumbled away, watching with dismay, as  
Tenchi-ken descended towards it one final time, as Ryoko sped  
in from behind Tenchi, an admiring smile on her face at Tenchi's  
prowess, and these were it's final thoughts.  
  
Capabilities disabled, identity exposed… objective not  
complete.  
  
Targets at hand, six out of ten. Of remaining four, two have been  
brought down.  
  
Initiate termination sequence…  
  
"Huh!?" Tenchi breathed in shock as the surface of the Kiyone  
cyborg split open before his sword to reveal a pulsing energy of  
blinding white light. Katsuhito stepped back, and Kiyone halted  
in fear as she saw Ryoko grab Tenchi, then turned her eyes  
away as the world exploded into a blinding whiteness.  
  
In his half conscious state, a distant part of Kova's mind  
registered as the explosion enveloped the area within a radius  
of fifteen metres all around its epicentre, and its searing white  
light pervaded even the darkness of his own, then there was a  
brief flicker which dimmed the ivory slightly, before  
consciousness left him amidst the tsunamis of agony that  
wracked his body, ere the shadows finally claimed him for their  
own.  
  
====================================  
  
It was a good while before he stirred, before the shadows  
started to quiver and flee, leaving his vision clear enough for  
him to make out colours apart from black.  
  
"Ah… he's coming round…" A very dim, distant voice. It might  
have been familiar, but he couldn't be sure. The table he lay  
upon seemed to move, then its back folded up so it became a  
chair of sorts, and he was no longer lying down, but sitting. All  
his limbs seemed to be numb, and he felt as though his head  
was just floating in midair, all by itself. "Here, have some water."  
  
Either his arm was too numb to respond, or he was being  
restrained in some way, he wasn't certain. What he did know  
was that he dimly felt someone gently pouring water, so he  
could swallow it eagerly in manageable sips, over his cracked  
lips, leathery-feeling tongue, and down his parched throat.  
  
The rest of the world formed up around him, and he realised he  
was on a metal chair, with his arms and legs manacled to it. The  
room seemed the typical blue grey colour of the laboratory, and  
the man so carefully tending to him… oh blessed giver of water  
the fount of life!… was a rather elderly, venerable looking man  
with long flowing snow white hair, with an equally spotless  
moustache and no beard. Silver eyes regarded him, not  
unkindly, from above the ascetic looking white robes.  
  
"Seida?" He whispered, now that he was more conscious and  
able to speak. He dimly remembered being grabbed from behind  
as he made his way to his rendezvous point with the contact,  
and the feel of pain as electricity coursed through his body.  
  
"Shhh… relax." Seida smiled pleasantly at him. "I know all about  
your intentions, and it's really all right." His hands poured  
another cup for of water for him. "And I'm sure you understand  
why I had to do this."  
  
Gusechard gave a sigh and lay his head back. "So… I guess  
this is it."  
  
"I'm afraid so," Seida looked upset. "Believe me, no one was  
more upset than me."   
  
The captive gulped eagerly, as Seida gave him another glass,  
then sighed. "I don't suppose you could let Belinda and  
Dechard off?" He tried to smile.  
  
"Don't worry about them… I'll take care of them." Seida smiled.  
"Oh and by the way, you forgot to mention your darling little  
Dorothy."  
  
"Please… I beg you…" Gusechard pleaded, almost desperately.  
"Not even for old times' sake?"  
  
"Well, to be honest, you really should have thought of that  
before trying to do something like that…" Seida smiled slightly  
as he saw the man's face turn ashen. "Just joking… you don't  
have to ask me to spare them. I have made arrangements, and I  
promise you I will make sure they get along well enough.  
Really…"   
  
"Are you… serious?" Gusechard sounded like a man who just  
had been given a ray of hope where there had been none  
before.  
  
Seida nodded. "I mean it, and you know I've always been a man  
of my word. And it's not just for old times' sake." He patted  
Gusechard's shoulder. "You're a good man, and we're still  
friends." His smile broadened. "Besides, after this is over, you  
might get out of this all right, then *you* can make arrangements  
for them." Seida watched as his captive's eyes lighted up with  
hope. "Imagine… next time you visit them, how happy you will  
be to see their faces again."  
  
Gusechard was still wary, despite the emotional roller coaster  
ride, but for now he was relieved. "Thank you, Seida."  
  
"Don't mention it." The spymaster grinned. "It's the least I can  
do for an old friend."  
  
"What will the plan be like?" Gusechard queried.  
  
"Simple really. See that screen over there? You just read the  
words out, as you would say it according to the situation given,  
if any is given."  
  
The man strapped to the seat looked surprised. "That's all!?"  
  
"Yeah, I guess so…" Seida looked at the seat. "You will be  
sitting here most of the time, and all your needs will be taken  
care of, just need to press these buttons." The man pressed  
something by the side of the chair and a keypad appeared just  
under Gusechard's fingers, with controls for various functions  
like to provide water or food. "When you need to sleep just lie  
back, and if you want I think I've got some cushions around."  
Seida picked two off the ground. "Where would you like me to  
put them?"  
  
Gusechard thought a moment, part of him still reeling in shock.  
"Erm… one behind my head, the other under me."  
  
"No problem…" Seida obliged, and made sure the cushions  
would not slip. "There… that should do it… I hope you  
understand why I have to keep you in here." He looked a little  
worried, and Gusechard found himself surprised, and a little  
touched, that this man would actually care for someone he had  
completely at his mercy. "No hard feelings?"  
  
"None, I think." Gusechard nodded, then there was a pause.  
"Sorry about this."  
  
"It's okay." Seida comforted. "Besides, if you don't get the  
inflection right this chair will give you pain now and then, with  
some intervals." Gusechard's eyes widened a bit. "Relax… the  
current starts out small, and if you get it right quickly, the pain  
won't be too much. Just take it easy."  
  
Gusechard nodded again, a little uncertainly.  
  
Seida sighed. "Come on… just like the old days. Remember,  
Private?"  
  
"Yes," the captive smiled as he thought of the past. "Yes,  
indeed, Captain."  
  
Seida patted the man's shoulder familiarly again. "I'm still the  
same Captain, you know. I try my best to make things easy but  
well…"  
  
"Yeah, I know. Discipline and justice."  
  
"Maintain order among the men."  
  
"Maintain high standards."  
  
"Keep the ship in shape."  
  
"Keep objective in sights."  
  
"Ensure efficiency, safety..."  
  
"And fair treatment."  
  
"Wow. You still remember my directives placed up on the ship."  
Seida smiled. "At least now I know you understand."  
  
"Well, you *were* one of the best and fairest ship captains and  
commanders around." Gusechard countered, genially. "I still  
think it's a pity you went into this, and let Jocarnes become the  
Synerean High Command Head."  
  
"If it makes you feel any better, that might change very soon."  
Seida confided, almost conspiratorially. "I need your help  
though…"  
  
"Heh, I understand. I'll try." Gusechard paused. "Though my  
loyalties still lie with the Circle."  
  
"Don't worry. That will change very soon." Seida smiled. "I'll be  
seeing you…"  
  
"Sure, thanks." Then the door closed, and then the man realised  
he didn't know what to think. Closing his eyes, he found that he  
was praying for his family.  
  
====================================  
  
The door opened, and the red headed scientist staggered out, a  
little unsteadily.  
  
"Is he…" a voice asked, soft and tremulous with anxiety. "…all  
right?"  
  
Washu, looking up wearily, made out the green haired detective  
seated in a chair, who had mustered some effort into bringing  
her head, buried within her hands which rested on the high  
back of the chair before this, up. Kiyone's eyes were puffed up,  
and there were lines of lighter green through the blackened  
surface of her ragged long sleeved light green dress,  
presumably where the tears had cleared away the marks of the  
blast, and, like almost all of them caught in the blast, there were  
red burn marks on various parts of her body where the skin was  
exposed. Her long green hair, usually kept so immaculately tidy,  
was all over her in dishevelled tresses, and parts of the dark  
green were blackened from the blast.   
  
What a far cry from the Kiyone of old… Washu thought to  
herself, as she nodded. Feeling her body ache as her muscles  
worked, Washu knew that physically, Kiyone couldn't be feeling  
much better than her. The destructive energies from the blast  
had been massive, so that it penetrated even her own shields,  
as well as that of Yosho and Ryoko, though it was painful rather  
than,as it would be, lethal.  
  
"Awake?"  
  
Washu shook her head. "He was hurt badly, and would be dead  
from blood loss if not for the stasis cell or Ryoko." She tried to  
ignore the fear on Kiyone's face. "But his constitution is good  
enough, and his wounds not critical, so unlike Tenchi I could  
operate on him normally, once I halted his blood loss." Washu  
knew given her current state, it would be unlikely she could  
have found the energy to work on him through the stasis cell  
over such a wide area of wounds.  
  
"Can I… see him?" Kiyone stared longingly at the door.  
  
Washu nodded again, slowly.  
  
"And… Seion?"  
  
Washu gave Kiyone an okay hand sign. "He and Aeka were  
doing okay when we got back, and I'll be checking on them  
now." Leaving the door to her lab open, she slowly trudged up  
the stairs to Tenchi's room. Kiyone watched her for a moment,  
then, despite the protestations of her sore limbs, raced into the  
lab.  
  
====================================  
  
Katsuhito watched, in his lotus position, from his corner, as  
Tenchi sat in a chair by the bed where the seemingly slumbering  
princess lay. Ryoko was slumped against the side of the bed by  
foot of Tenchi's seat, her eyes for most part staring seemingly  
into space or closed. Katsuhito noted, that though Ryoko  
seemed tired and a little hurt from the explosion, now and then  
she would look to Tenchi hopefully, but seeing only his side  
facing her, his eyes only for Aeka, would make her face harden  
just a little, then her eyes would stare resolutely out into space  
again. The half naked, green haired stranger with a bloodied  
bandage around his waist, was now stretched out full on the  
floor between the him and Tenchi, with eyes closed stolidly in  
restfulness as if he were bent on swift recovery. The only time  
the man had shown any sign of life was when they had just  
came in, asking if the battle was over and if Kiyone was all right,  
then receiving an affimative on both, had returned to resting.  
  
Funny, Katsuhito thought to himself. I don't believe I've actually  
ever been in my grandson's bedroom.  
  
The door beside him slid open. Washu's gaze went over the  
room, still and silent as a tomb. The only thing that might have  
hinted that the people were not totally lost in their own thoughts,  
contemplating the hectic night just over, was that the gift Washu  
had fixed was in a corner rather than in the middle of the room,  
lest someone step on it.  
  
"This has been a sorry night." Washu murmured softly, and as  
her eyes completed their sweep, her gaze came to rest upon  
Katsuhito.  
  
The lips of the eldest, and in fact original, Masaki moved  
slightly."So I see."   
  
"Well, what do you think?"  
  
Katsuhito noted Ryoko snatching another hopeful look at  
Tenchi, only to turn away, crestfallen. "Tenchi's not helping."  
  
Washu snorted in disdain. "First class baka, that's what he is."  
Somehow she felt a little riled that she could have congratulated  
him earlier, but she could understand his worry for Aeka. "But  
what I mean is… what about that incident?"  
  
Katsuhito devoted a moment to contemplation, thinking about  
the earlier incident involving Kova, before commenting again.  
"Familiar."  
  
Washu felt a little irritated. "Look, last time they took Sasami and  
something of mine. This time we nearly lost three of us, and that  
last explosion would have taken out all of us if not for our  
shields and your Juraian power."  
  
"True." Katsuhito noted to himself Washu must be rather  
annoyed, or she have noticed that Katsuhito was oblivious to  
the identities of the green haired and blue haired young men,  
except that both were probably close friends to Kiyone, and the  
latter had helped them on the earlier occasion.  
  
"It's getting worse each time… And last time they were here to  
carry out some assignment. The one tonight was here to kill us,  
and Nagi was around too."  
  
"Yes." Katsuhito breathed, a little wearily. "It was."  
  
Washu, noting that she had finally elicited some form of  
response from Katsuhito, waited. Silence reigned for several  
moments, before Washu finally realised she would have to try  
again.  
  
"*Well*!?" Her exertions for the night made her all that more  
testy.  
  
For a moment Katsuhito considered either playing dumb, or  
making another comment on Tenchi, then decided against it. "It  
is getting more dangerous here," he said, and his thoughts went  
back to when the Juraian ship had appeared from space to  
bring this very house up into it and imprison Aeka, Sasami and  
Ryoko. "Do you know where to go?"  
  
Washu pursed her lips, noting that at least there was support  
here in his affirmation. "It'll take some time, but I know what we  
will be looking for."  
  
"I see," Katsuhito answered. "I will miss this planet."  
  
The red headed scientist went over, past Seion to check on  
Aeka. Standing a distance from the bed so as not to disturb  
Tenchi's vigil, she used a biological scanner over the princess'  
pelvic area.  
  
Well, she's okay, just need some more rest for her bone marrow  
to be restored.  
  
Washu was glad she remembered the tales of the healing  
powers of Juraian Knights of old, from way before she got  
expelled from the Academy and trapped in that crystal cell.  
  
Turning to Seion, she scanned his midsection, and looked at the  
screen.  
  
The wound was only about two thirds of its original diameter,  
and it was barely two hours since the commotion.  
  
"Interesting phenomenon…" she noted, as the possibility finally  
began to take shape, and she felt part of herself become less  
tired, in the face of something new to learn about a person  
around her. Moving over to Seion, she casually kept her hand  
scanner somewhere in the dress, and took out a syringe, before  
almost cavalierly poking it into Seion's intravenous vein.  
  
Seion's face twitched, and he opened an eye. "Hey! What's with  
the stickling!?"  
  
Washu smiled as she drew the syringe out. "Oh nothing." She  
looked almost mischieviously at the blood sample.  
  
Seion made a face. "Sheesh. Hate 'em pokers." He looked  
around the room. "All right, break's over. Should be seeing if  
Kiyone's all right soon…" He made to get up, though his torso  
screamed back at him as he tried to move.  
  
"Stay down." Washu ordered imperiously, as she put the blood  
sample away.  
  
"Hmmm?" Seion looked up in surprise. "And just who do you  
think you are?"  
  
Washu blinked, then stared pointedly at him, green eyes  
flashing with menace.  
  
The Operative grinned sheepishly as a sweatdrop formed on his  
head. "Errr… I mean apart from being the greatest genius  
scientist in the entire universe, of course…"  
  
The professor gave a huff of annoyance. "Well, I may not be  
your commanding officer, but, I have something for you to  
know." She grinned wickedly.  
  
"Oh, like what?" Seion asked, yawning, turning so a ear was  
facing Washu. "There's nothing…" The smiling scientist bent  
over to whisper into his ear. "… that can possibly…" His green  
eyes widened into big round orbs. "WHAT!?"  
  
Katsuhito raised an eyebrow curiously, as Washu got back on  
her feet, still grinning like a Cheshire, and probably as content  
as one too.  
  
"You're… kidding me, right?" Seion asked, weakly.  
  
"So what if I am?" Washu winked. "You just stay out of my lab,  
okay?"  
  
"Oh, yeah, sure!" The Operative sweatdropped, as the redhead  
cheerfully left the room.  
  
Having satisfied his curiosity, Tenchi was about to turn back to  
watch over Aeka, when he saw, out of the corner of his eye,  
Ryoko's gaze turn from him to stare back at space again.  
  
"Uh… Ryoko?" He asked, uncertainly.  
  
The space pirate seemed almost to galvanise herself into action.  
"Yes, Tenchi?" She replied, eyes twinkling, voice a little too  
eager.  
  
"Well, I… er… would like to thank you for just now…" Tenchi  
continued nervously. "For helping me send Aeka back here…  
and taking that blast… and…" He paused, uncertain.  
  
Part of Ryoko nearly replied, it's all no big deal, but for once, she  
decided to speak up…  
  
"Tenchi?" She queried, as she tried to come up with something  
that he would not think was too extreme. "Could you…"  
  
Tenchi winced a little as he thought of Ryoko glomping him  
onto the bed, onto the recuperating princess, though part of him  
told him something that insane was beyond even Ryoko. "Uh…  
what?"  
  
"Could I…" Something close to him, but not too extreme…  
something that won't get in his way of watching Aeka. "… sit on  
your lap?" A part of Ryoko wondered if Tenchi would notice that  
she was being inordinately considerate.  
  
The boy hesitated for a while, then nodded, albeit a little  
uncertainly. "All right, then…"  
  
Ryoko gave him a beautific beam as she took his outstretched  
hand, and he let her settle on to his lap. As he felt her warm  
presence about him, her body so close to his, Tenchi felt his  
blood burn for a moment, but then his eyes settled on the  
princess in the bed, and his heart filled with concern again.  
  
Ryoko sighed as she saw his attention divert again.  
  
I guess I should be happy, then…  
  
Resting within his embrace, Ryoko leaned back on Tenchi and  
they kept their vigil together.  
  
====================================  
  
A good while later…  
  
The darkness receded, as the lightless waters of catalepsy drew  
back, and he could almost feel himself, rising up to slowly break  
through the surface, like one returned from the depths of  
blackest night and darkest despair. There might have been a  
light, he wasn't sure if there was, and if he should head for it or  
not, but then since nothing else mattered, why not?  
  
He wondered if he were dead already, if this was what death  
was.  
  
Seems an awfully paltry thing to be frightened of, he thought.  
The only time he truly learned to fear it was after he had met  
Kiyone, but since her display of wishing to reconcile him with  
this end, he didn't really mind it that much.  
  
The light seemed to draw nearer, and he became dimly aware of  
the slightest pinpricks of pain, all around him, and from within  
him.  
  
So I lied, he thought. I *do* mind.  
  
I can't be dead then. Not with this pain and this ache from deep  
within.  
  
Finding he had stopped drawing closer to the barely visible  
light, he tried to…  
  
Blinding, glaring white light split his vision, causing his optical  
fibres to scream their discomfiture at the exposure, and he  
caught himself thinking, almost indifferently, 'Man, not again,' as  
he thought of that final searing blinding light that had swept  
over him as he lost consciousness.  
  
It could have been a while, or forever, before the light died back  
down to a more acceptable level, he could make out that he was  
lying on some kind of examination table, and except for the light  
above him the rest seemed to be darkness, but as he realised  
this his nerves finally started kicking in, and his body seemed to  
be slowly catching fire, especially his lower limbs and back, but  
nothing seemed quite so bad as that agony welling up from  
deep within, agony that constricted, tightening and crushing  
one's heart into a shapeless bloodied pulp…  
  
Oh damn. I thought I was done with this already.  
  
He tried to move a little, and became aware of something resting  
on him, then would have looked up but for his muscles' refusal  
to kick into action. Kova gave them a little mental frown, then  
they finally obliged, and he raised his head slightly.  
  
And stared.  
  
His head sagged back as his neck muscles gave out before the  
realisation, his eyes still wide with disbelief.  
  
No… it can't be…  
  
His left hand moved slightly, and sure enough, there was  
something, or rather, someone there…  
  
His mind searched questioningly, if he dared believe the flame  
yet burned, trying to find to that spark of hope that he just might  
have within him, and though whether it was pleasure or pain,  
something he welcomed or denied, and whether he looked back  
with joy or bitterness, he wasn't completely sure.  
  
Taking one or two deep breaths, he concentrated on feeling if  
she were truly by his side, unsure if he wanted to believe his  
eyes had cheated him, or curse if it should be but a phantasmal  
phantom that his beleaguered mind was conjuring. Sure  
enough, the gentle up and down motion by his hand, the long,  
silky tresses along his arm, the touch of her forearms resting on  
the top, lower side of his chest, the warm, even breathing that  
escaped her lips, and the cool feel of moisture from teardrops  
soaking through the white sheet and onto his skin.  
  
He found he didn't dare move, didn't dare to believe that this  
was real. It was almost as if he had been offered a fragile vision  
of what might have been, a vision that would shatter if he made  
a wrong move. It was after some more time had passed that he  
finally brought himself to ask, softly…  
  
"Kiyone?"   
  
There was no response. Gently he shifted a little, to the protest  
of his back and shoulder blade, and he thought he might have  
felt a quiver from the person, then she stirred, and ever so  
slowly lifted her head up…  
  
For the briefest moment, he might have been glad, but then he  
almost angrily hurled the emotion aside, and he could hear a  
word echoing like a death knell within his skull.  
  
'Because…'  
  
====================================  
  
"Kiyone?" The distant yet loud sound pounded on her  
eardrums.  
  
Huh…?  
  
Her body, still aching from the concussions of the blast as she  
came to her senses, Kiyone felt her eyelids weighing down  
incredibly heavily on her, and it was as though through a haze  
that she managed to recognise the voice behind that intrusively  
loud sound.  
  
Kova-chan?  
  
She opened her eyes and tried to turn and look…  
  
Owwww… my head hurts…  
  
For a moment she thought her head might have been hit by a  
lead pipe, and as she tried to remember if that was what indeed  
had happened another throb of pain struck her and she decided  
to let the question lie.  
  
Awake?  
  
The dull pain continued as she strained to see if he had indeed  
stirred. Sure enough, his eyes were looking at her, and she  
thought she saw his eyes shine for a moment, before their light  
died to emptiness, and had that stern line his lips were formed in  
indeed been there all along, or only just?  
  
"KOVA-CHAN?"  
  
Why am I talking so loudly!?  
  
For a moment there was a spinning, disorienting feeling as she  
turned and moved just a little too fast, and it seemed like she  
was about to fall out of her chair. Then her eyes focused on him,  
and the cold glare he gave her jolted her senses so much the  
importance of her headache and vertigo receded into the  
background.  
  
"Kova-chan?" She could have sworn she was whispering, but  
her voice was still rather louder than normal to her own ears,  
and if he heard, his icy, cutting, stony gaze did not let up, nor  
did he seemed at all cheered to see her. Her head was heavy  
and throbbing, and she was beginning to consider if it were a  
sledge hammer that got to her rather than a lead pipe…  
"Better?"  
  
His lips curled up slightly into a smile as her left hand caressed  
his left and her right hand, trembling somewhat, reached over to  
smooth back his dishevelled hair, but the smile was as frosty  
and frigid as his gaze, a sneer of derision. There was a jerk as  
her fingers were about to close about his, and a brief spasm  
distorted his face into a visage of dreadful wrath.  
  
"Wha…?" Kiyone started, her brows furrowing as her headache  
intensified and she tried to make sense of what was going on.  
Something gripped her right wrist, hard, and she could feel his  
fingers grinding painfully against her wrist. "Kova-chan?" Now  
only his eyes, cold and dark, were visible from behind the wrist  
before his face as he restrained her.  
  
She couldn't see his left hand, but she felt it move with painful  
slowness by her lower body, and she felt it wander into a  
pocket. She was too confused to think, her wrist hurt, her head  
felt heavy, she couldn't make sense of things, something was  
wrong and she didn't know what.  
  
"YOU'RE HURTING ME!!" She didn't know how a plaintive cry  
became such a loud scream, and though there was no change  
in the spy's demeanour, the pressure might have reduced a  
little. Then a handle of cold metal was pressed into her right  
hand, and her fingers convulsively and instinctively closed and  
settled in around the handle of the GP blaster.  
  
"End it…" The words echoed in her ears, though his lips  
seemed not to move, and she winced as his right hand tilted her  
hand up somewhat, so her blaster was aiming right between his  
eyes.  
  
"Huh?" Her mind reeled from incredulity as well as the  
intensifying, throbbing ache.  
  
What's wrong with me!? What the hell did I do to deserve this  
damned headache!?  
  
"I said…" He murmured, but already loud his voice rose  
somewhat in volume. "…END IT." His hand forced the muzzle of  
the gun against the bridge of his nose, and his eyes bore into  
her like unyielding daggers.   
  
"WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO DO!?" She cried out in frustration  
and distress, her left hand reaching over to try to pry his fingers  
off her wrist, while his left hand was clasped around her right,  
so she could not let go of the blaster. The visible part of his face  
betraying no emotion, no twitch of effort, yet his fingers clung  
on with the frozen, immovable, tenacious grip of death himself.  
"STOP IT!"  
  
Why is he treating me this way!?  
  
"End it…" His voice was softer now, even to her ears, but no  
less steeled. "You have had your fun with me… now end it."   
  
"WHAT FUN?" Kiyone cried out. Her head was a whirl of  
confusion and agony, she didn't understand anything, and tears  
were running freely down her face. "LET GO!"  
  
"Stop pretending." His brows wrinkled slightly as she continued  
trying to pry open his hands. "You want me dead, so here you  
are…" If she were less distraught, Kiyone might have noted his  
voice sounded old and sepulchral now. "Just shoot. And that  
will be the end of it…"  
  
"WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT!?"  
  
For a moment, she remembered seeing herself firing a golden  
beam into Kova's back.  
  
No! I couldn't have…!  
  
She blinked as her head spun in confusion, and the events  
within the forest were a chaotic jumble of sequential occurences  
that were just not falling into place.  
  
"I *DON'T* WANT YOU DEAD!" She pleaded. "I…" Her voice  
softened. "… love you…"  
  
"STOP LYING!" His hands shoved her back from him, causing  
the blaster to fall to the ground between them, and through the  
blur of her confused tears she thought she saw him trying to  
blink away his anger and sorrow. "Love me!?" He spat the  
phrase out as one would a curse. "Like THIS?" His right hand  
reached over and pulled the sheet back from over his left  
shoulder, now swathed in dressing stained reddish brown with  
dried blood.  
  
Kiyone grimaced at his accusation, and the pain within her head  
seemed to intensify, so she could almost feel her blood  
hammering on the insides of her skull, as though it would split  
her head open. "I DIDN'T DO THAT," her reply sounded  
unnaturally loud to her ears, though she only spoke it normally,  
and was trying desperately to keep her voice level. "You know I  
would never hurt you…" Softer now.  
  
"I thought I knew…" Kova grimaced weakly, full of misery, pain,  
uncertainty, fear and also anger. "But I was wrong." He moved  
his left hand, and as always, his shoulder blade sent out shrieks  
of distress that never showed on his face because the emotions  
and knowledge that froze it held too much precedence.  
"Though I'd rather have died on the spot, in blissful ignorance."   
  
"I *TOLD* YOU, I DIDN'T HURT YOU!" She screamed, and the  
sound was deafening.  
  
He closed his eyes in response, like a man resting within a  
coffin, awaiting eagerly of the restful slumber from which there  
would be no awakening.  
  
"Kova-chan?" She whispered. If Kova heard, he didn't react.  
"That wasn't me…" she murmured softly, even to her own ears.  
"It really wasn't…" She reached out gingerly for him as he lay  
there still as a corpse, she closed her eyes, trying to fight the  
throbbing ache both from her head and heart, and gently let her  
fingers trace the outline of his skin, smoothing away the lines of  
fatigue and strain, then to run softly through his hair.  
  
She started, her eyes opening as she felt warm moisture trickle  
down from his eyes through her fingers. "Why?" She just  
managed to hear him breath, in strangled tones… "Why are you  
doing this…?"  
  
There was something about the way he said it, somehow tender,  
yet vehement as though she were trying to torture him, that  
made Kiyone flinch. "I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING!"  
  
"There's a HOLE in my left shoulder. Now, do you think I could  
have imagined THAT!?" His voice was loud to her ears,  
hovering on the verge of painful to her ears, though his  
mannerisms seemed his usual urbane self, before slinking back  
down to a softer level, for clearly even. "Maybe you could try to  
explain from there…"  
  
"WELL, I'M HERE BY YOUR SIDE! YOU'RE ALIVE! ISN'T THAT  
ENOUGH!?" Kiyone's pitch and volume would have hurt her  
ears except that she was too flustered to note the pain. "IF I  
WANTED TO KILL YOU YOU WOULDN'T *BE* ALIVE!"  
  
"Well, I can understand you have someone else in mind." His  
voice was gentle, almost fatherly, but she still trembled as his  
eyes bore mercilessly into her again. "What I don't understand  
is why won't you end my torment…" She could almost see the  
dark fury flash across his face. "Let me go… kill me like you  
wanted to." A groan of pain escaped her lips as her headache  
battered harder, cutting off her plea. "After all, I'm sure 'Seion'  
will be taking good care of you…" His head lolled back into  
restfulness again, as his eyes closed. "Send me off when you  
see fit."  
  
SEION!?   
  
Another pulse of pain broke off her train of thought.  
  
"WHAT IS *WRONG* WITH YOU!?" she burst out at him. "I  
*DON'T* LOVE HIM!"  
  
There was a brief silence, then Kova's calm and even voice  
came out again. "Yet."  
  
Kiyone ground her teeth hard against each other, and just  
barely stopped herself from reaching up to haul the conceivably  
incapacitated spy up from the examination table. Her body  
shaking from anger and frustration, as well as weariness, pain  
and the ever insistent headache that would not be shaken off,  
and she stood up in a burst of anger, but though he heard, he  
never moved.  
  
There was a voice from behind her. "KIYONE!?" Someone cried,  
in surprise. A high pitched voice of astonishment and anxiety,  
and still inordinately loud to her ears. "HOW… HOW DID THIS  
HAPPEN!?"  
  
Kiyone looked to her left towards the door, taking care not to  
lose her vertigo again by moving too fast. "SASAMI?"   
  
The little blue-haired girl hurried over as the door to the lab  
dematerialised behind her as it closed. "OH NO!!" The princess  
cried in fear as she drew closer. "WHAT HAPPENED TO  
KOVA!?" She cast her eyes frantically around. "WHERE'S  
WASHU!? HAS SHE SEEN HIM YET?"  
  
"Yes," Kiyone blinked as she heard his voice echo her reply  
simultaneously and softly, and deep within her something  
nodded in relief.  
  
Good, he hasn't stopped caring completely yet… it's all just a  
front… I hope  
  
"Will he be all right?" Sasami's voice lowered so it was audible  
but not loud anymore by Kiyone's reckoning.   
  
What followed was a suffocating, smothering silence.  
  
Sasami, having not completely lost her wits, quickly realised the  
light she saw glisten off both their faces were those reflected  
from teardrops, and she thought she saw Kova's eyes smoulder  
with rage and fury as anguish and sorrow welled up in Kiyone's.  
  
"Uh, sorry…" Quickly and discreetly, the little princess withdrew  
from the lab.  
  
====================================  
  
"Is she in there?" an anxious voice greeted her as she left the  
lab.  
  
Sasami blinked in surprise, stunned for the moment, then she  
remembered as she looked up at the man lying on the ground  
opposite the door, wearing an extremely tight fitting set of pants  
that looked like it came out of Tenchi's wardrobe and with a  
fresh set of bandages swathed about his waist.  
  
Oh, it's Seion. Grandpa said he was a friend of Kiyone's…  
  
"Yeah…" Sasami nodded, solemnly, her appearance still sober  
as she wondered what might have happened to Kova, and to  
stir up another altercation between the two.  
  
What could have happened? Ryoko and Tenchi, both half  
asleep and sitting beside Tenchi's bed where Aeka herself  
slept… grandpa sitting by the door, telling me to go out and  
leave them alone… and no sign of Washu whatsoever.  
  
"Why are you looking so upset?" Seion felt concern hem in on  
him as he took in Sasami's solemn expression. "Is she all right?  
Is she okay?"  
  
Sasami bit her lip in anxiety. "She's just… upset." Sasami tried  
to lose her fretful expression, but she never was one for  
dissembling. "Other than that she's just fine…I think."  
  
"Look, if she's not well just tell me. I *need* to know." The  
operative looked suspiciously at her. "And I sure as hell ain't  
gonna believe you looking like that for no good reason."  
  
"You're right." Sasami sighed in weary resignation. "Kiyone is  
probably more upset than me about his condition, and I think  
they had an argument again…"  
  
"Huh!?" Seion's eyes opened wide in confounded perplexity.  
"Whose condition? Who are they?"  
  
Sasami looked curiously up at Seion. "Why Kova's, of  
course…"  
  
*KOVA*!?  
  
The flicker of horrified realisation within his eyes at the  
revelation, was followed by complete stupefecation as utter  
incredulity pervaded the man's dark green eyes in an instant.  
  
The little princess regarded him questioningly, especially given  
his reaction…  
  
"What's wrong?" She asked, as the wheels of her mind turned  
of their own accord.  
  
Anyway why didn't he go into the lab himself, but asked me to  
go in on his behalf?  
  
There was a blur of speed, then the door of the lab slammed  
shut.  
  
Sasami blinked, and she felt a sinking realisation well up from  
within…  
  
Of course! Washu must have told him not to… oh *NO*!  
  
====================================  
  
Katsuhito watched as the figure on the bed stirred a little, and he  
finally deigned to stand up from his lotus position.  
  
Oh that was something last night, oh yes…   
  
He thought as he felt tiny twinges of protest from his legs.   
  
Either that or I'm getting old…  
  
Moving over to the chair by the bedside, he looked at the  
slumbering figures of Tenchi and Ryoko in their chairs. The  
space pirate had turned to face Tenchi and hugged him,  
probably as he fell asleep, and now her body was pressed close  
to his, with both their heads resting insensate on one another's  
shoulders, while her legs were curled on either side of Tenchi's  
hips, almost entwining completely around his torso, as though  
she were straddling him.  
  
Katsuhito shook his head. It would never do to let Aeka wake up  
only to be greeted by *this*. In fact, he himself might have been  
tempted to believe something *might* have happened, except  
that, the boy in question being Tenchi, this would certainly be  
wishful thinking, a lesson Nobuyuki has learnt so well. He would  
certainly have used his bokken to hit Tenchi soundly on the  
head, but he didn't have one handy, so he had to improvise a  
little.  
  
"Ouch!" Tenchi exclaimed as something hard hit him on his  
forehead. Reaching up with on hand to rub his latest acquisition  
to his collection of pains, he heard himself mutter. "What  
the…?"  
  
"Rise and shine, Tenchi." Katsuhito intoned, as he watched,  
from over Tenchi's bed, to out beyond the window, where the  
skies were still dark, except for the faintest rays of brillliance  
shining from behind the hills, gathering its strength to shatter  
the night, and turn darkness into light.  
  
"Grandpa! I…" Tenchi's eyes widened as he felt the velvety  
warmth he was still being held in, the soft texture of Ryoko's  
body around him. "Uh…Ryoko?" Out of the corner of his eye,  
he saw the figure on his bed stir. "Aeka?" He whispered, fear  
and hope intermixing within his one simple articulation.   
  
"Tenchi…" the princess murmured, as she turned over slightly  
and reached out a quivering hand.  
  
"Aeka!" Tenchi cried in joy, almost leaning forward, except for  
the weight of Ryoko's body on him. "Let go, Ryoko!" Then he  
realised his situation. "Uh…ulp…" His eyes widened and he  
swallowed as the nasty nature of his predicament dawned, and  
he nearly shouted at Ryoko and maybe try to struggle out of her  
embrace, except that the violent actions might rouse Aeka even  
more rapidly.  
  
Help… need help…  
  
"Grandpa?" He whispered, imploringly  
  
Katsuhito paused as he was about to commence returning to  
his corner, then turned to regard Tenchi, amusement written all  
over his face. "Yes, Tenchi?"  
  
"Help me grandpa!"  
  
"Well… that's what comes of having no discipline over one's  
heart, Tenchi."  
  
"Grandpa!" Tenchi cried again, and Aeka stirred a little more, the  
increasing strength of her movements compounding the  
crescendo and staccato of Tenchi's heartbeat.  
  
Katsuhito made as if to move away, then quite suddenly  
thwacked Ryoko hard on the back of her head with the  
clotheshanger in his hand.  
  
"OW!" She cried, her muscles loosening from Tenchi in  
readiness to pay the person back an eye for an eye. "Who hit  
me!?"  
  
"Huh?" Aeka murmured, more audibly now. "Tenchi? Tenchi!?"  
  
Katsuhito took a step back, as he flicked the clothes hanger so  
the metal hook snagged neatly inside the back of Ryoko's collar  
as she half turned around, and then he gave a quick sharp jerk.  
  
"Whoaaa!" Ryoko, still groggy from just being waken up, cried  
as she was dragged back and sideways off Tenchi to land  
unceremoniously onto the ground, who just managed to lean  
forward as Aeka's hand reached over, just in time to quickly  
seize it as her eyes opened…   
  
"Tenchi?" Aeka's eyes glimmered as they opened, her mouth  
moving slightly and slowly into her typically splendid, petite,  
reserved smile. "What's that about?"  
  
"Oh don't worry about it… welcome back Aeka." Tenchi gave  
her a brief smile then quickly tried to balance the other side of  
the scale.  
  
Ryoko cursed out aloud as she sat up, but she felt someone  
gently take her hand and help her up. "Tenchi?" Her brows  
narrowed as she looked into Tenchi's worried brown eyes.  
"Your grandpa's too… !"  
  
"Look, I …" Tenchi flashed Aeka a nervous glance, but the  
purple eyes reflected only understanding at his distraction and  
joy at being able to see him again, and he decided to take the  
risk. "Well… I needed to get you off me… it would never do to let  
Aeka see us like that…"  
  
Ryoko glared at him, her cyan eyes round and menacing, and  
Tenchi flinched a little. "Oh it's that, right? So now it's all Aeka,  
huh? And you said I could sit in your lap, didn't you?"  
  
"I did, but…" Tenchi tried.   
  
Aeka listened, keeping to herself, just watching Tenchi. She  
would watch Ryoko too if she could see her, but she was on the  
ground by the bed. Once upon a time she might have been  
tempted to push that little edge in, and maybe, just maybe, get  
Ryoko to break with Tenchi. Now, she realised she was just  
watching, and she was uncertain what outcome she was hoping  
for, even if she had the energy to actively work towards that  
end.  
  
"But what!?" Ryoko retorted. Being awakened by being hit on  
the skull then being dragged from the best place in the whole of  
existence to the cold hard floor was not exactly the ideal start to  
a morning in Ryoko's mind.  
  
"I didn't know at the time you were going to fall asleep that  
way…" Tenchi said softly, for fear of letting Aeka hear it. "I don't  
want to upset her… After all, we're supposed to be watching  
over her right?"  
  
Oh… Aeka thought. It's about me again, isn't it?  
  
Ryoko sighed, and nodded. "Yeah… I guess so. After all, I owe  
her." Her face breaking into a smile that was too happy, Ryoko  
popped her head over the side of the bed. "Why hello there  
princess! Nice to see that you are awake!" Tenchi blinked, and  
Aeka restrained the impulse to laugh, at Ryoko's poor effort of  
trying to hide her perturbation.  
  
"I'm fine, thank you." Aeka returned. "Thanks especially to you  
as well as Tenchi." Her heart seemed lighter than it was the  
night before, as though someone, or something, had entered  
therein and cut the ropes that left some rocks clinging to her  
soul, and the colours of everything seem to shine brightly in her  
eyes. "Are you both all right?" Her eyes rove over their slightly  
battered forms and appearances.  
  
"We… we're fine…" Tenchi mumbled, himself astonished.   
  
Ryoko remained silent, biting back the impulse to reply that she  
*was* feeling sore and testy, courtesy of Katsuhito's disposal of  
her beauty sleep, as it wouldn't help anything, and might make  
Aeka feel upset…  
  
"Ryoko… you don't owe me anything… and you never did."  
Ryoko blinked, but Aeka continued as if she had not heard  
anything. "Tenchi, you and Ryoko better go ask Washu check  
on both of you."  
  
"Eh…" Tenchi gave nervous laugh. "She said we're both okay  
already."  
  
"Oh really?" Aeka replied. She seemed strangely serene and at  
ease, it actually unbalanced Tenchi and Ryoko. "I'd think I'd  
want to sit up now…"  
  
Tenchi and Ryoko looked at each other in surprise, then they  
quickly obliged.  
  
Katsuhito nodded to himself as he watched the two bustle  
about gently moving the princess to a more upright position,  
then slid the door open and walked out, heading towards the  
stairs. As he did a figure was walking up behind him and…  
  
"Mihoshi?" He whispered, not bothering to look around.   
  
"Uh hi, older Mr Masaki!" The blonde detective greeted.  
  
"This is strange… you are not usually up at this hour, are you?"  
  
"Um… no. I don't think so."  
  
"So, what brings you up so early?" Katsuhito asked.   
  
"Well… Washu promised me she'd help me with something this  
morning, so… here I am!"  
  
Katsuhito, still not turning around, arched an eyebrow to himself  
quizzically. "I see."  
  
Quite abruptly, he turned into the bathroom, and the door slid  
shut behind him.  
  
Mihoshi blinked. "Oh." Then, after letting herself get away with a  
yawn she had been trying to hold back, she hurried onward,  
towards the steps.  
  
====================================  
  
Some while before all that…  
  
"KIYONE!?"  
  
She started in bewilderment as she heard the voice ring out,  
shattering the stony silence.  
  
Seion?  
  
DAMNED IT!  
  
"Well." She heard Kova enounce softly as he closed the one eye  
he had just opened, his every word dripping with derision. "If it  
ain't loverboy, coming to gloat." There was a soft rattling  
chuckle, like that of a death rattle. "What are you waiting for?  
Run to him… although I'd prefer it if you finished me first, I doubt  
you'll let me the luxury."  
  
Kiyone snarled, turning on him, her eyes burning in anger, her  
face wild, enraged and embittered. "SHUT THE F*** UP!"  
  
Kova gave the impression of shrugging, though he couldn't  
have, at least not without great pain. "Fine. I'm just the invalid  
convict."  
  
"I said *SHUT* *UP*!" Kiyone screamed, and the pounding  
inside her skull seemed to intensify, while the blood drawn from  
her heart sent a fresh stream of warm salt tears cascading down  
her cheeks.  
  
"What the HELL is going on here!?" Seion was running over,  
not daring to believe his eyes. Sure enough, there was no  
mistaking the person on the examination table, covered in the  
white sheets, with light shining down onto his face. The sharp  
chin, the long face and nosebridge, high cheek bones, and night  
blue hair, all were there. "Why isn't this guy taken under  
custody? Who…" He froze.  
  
Kiyone was smiling at him. It wasn't pleasant. It was a smile of  
utter desperation, the smile of a cornered animal, with nowhere  
to run, nowhere to hide. Her eyes burned with wild fire, crackling  
with hot tears, her hair strewn about her form in chaotic tangles.  
Her grimacing lips were dry, cracked and tremulous, and dark  
rings surrounded her eyes. She seemed ready to crack, to break  
under the stress, except for her right hand. The right hand that  
held her GP blaster that she had snatched up from the floor was  
aiming the weapon for Seion, aiming for his left chest, aimed  
unwaveringly and unshakeably.   
  
"Ki… Kiyone?" Seion ventured softly, his voice quavering. He  
had faced death in many forms before, and he had never feared  
it. Blaster fire was one of the least of his worries, even at such  
close quarters, and although his injury would make avoiding it  
extremely painful, it was not the weapon facing him that he  
feared.  
  
It was the idea that Kiyone could, and would, open fire on him.  
  
"Please… I beg you… leave here… get out." She pleaded, but  
though her voice was plaintive, the desperate determination had  
not faded from her eyes. "I… don't want to hurt you…"  
  
"What ARE you DOING!?" Seion gesticulated wildly, as he  
vividly recalled his encounters with Kova… the one on one duel  
in the city at night, holding Kiyone hostage, firing on Kiyone  
from behind. "He frigging tried to kill both of us just now!"  
  
"He *DIDN'T*! That wasn't him!" she returned, quaveringly.  
"Please… I can explain it later… just go. Please…"  
  
"He's our quarry! Our objective!" Seion tried again, his hands  
spread out pleadingly in front of him. "Remember? Our  
assignment?"  
  
"Stay back! Don't make me do this!"  
  
"What's wrong with you!? He's the enemy! He's…" Seion took a  
step forward.  
  
There was a golden streak, and Seion winced as the beam just  
missed his left shoulder.   
  
Well, at least she's not really trying to kill me… or it wouldn't  
have missed.  
  
"Stand back! Keep away…" Kiyone pleaded, her body leaning  
close over Kova's inert form as if to protect him. "Please… stay  
back…"  
  
The operative took a deep breath, trying to overcome the  
sinking feeling inside him. "Okay, okay…" He took a step back,  
as he spread his arms in a gesture of supplication. "I'm leaving,  
all right? Don't shoot." Cautiously, he withdrew from them, not  
taking his eyes off Kiyone for a moment, then he reached the  
door way, and was gone.  
  
Emitting a sob of relief, Kiyone's form crumpled forward, her  
head coming to rest against Kova's form, then she felt  
something squeeze her left hand.  
  
"I think… you owe him an explanation." Kova smiled weakly,  
and she realised he had been holding her other hand since she  
had drawn the blaster on Seion. "Go to him." There were tears  
of gratitude in his eyes, but even still, the sheen of separation  
was still standing.  
  
"Kova-chan…?"  
  
"It's okay to have a change of heart." He whispered, gently, as  
his hand left hers again. "I think I'll rest easy knowing you are in  
his care."  
  
Kiyone ground her teeth together once more. "What's wrong  
with you!? Why do you keep on hurting me like this!?" Her head  
was still reeling, and though her own voice still thundered in her  
ears, the mild undertone of his reverberated more loudly within  
her.   
  
"Perhaps…" He arched an eyebrow, almost sarcastically.  
"…because I'm fine?"  
  
"I DIDN'T HURT YOU!" She screamed back. "You're not being  
reasonable!!"   
  
Kova took a sharp intake of breath. "Just… GO." He shot back,  
almost in anger. "Leave me…"  
  
She stood up, as the stress and strain of the recent events,  
combined with the headache that was a result of her extreme  
alcohol intake earlier last night, exacted their toll, and dark anger  
flashed from across the tumultous surface of her somewhat  
bloodshot green eyes. "FINE! I'll GO!"  
  
Snarling, the detective turned her back on him and he watched,  
his eyes half opened as she stormed out of the room amidst a  
flurry of tears and anger.   
  
The room feels so dark, so empty… the light, so glaring, so  
piercing… the table, so hard, so cold… and I, so lost, so alone…  
  
Kova sighed, then rested his head back on the the table, his  
eyes closing once more, as he breathed softly. "Bless you,  
Kiyone-chan…" The knuckles of his right hand whitened as his  
finger gripped tightly about his silver rod. "Bless you."  
  
Unknown to him, the darkness of the lab was not entirely devoid  
of occupants. There was one more, one who heard his words,  
one who had slipped in after Seion for fear something bad might  
happen. One look at Kova's despairing anger and corpse-like  
pallor decided her that she would not gain anything by trying to  
talk to him.  
  
Washu… must find Washu!  
  
The slight figure hurried off into the darkening recesses of the  
lab.  
  
====================================  
  
"Seion."  
  
With a sigh, the officer turned around. "Yes?" His face was pale,  
and his broad shoulders were slumped down, and he seemed  
as if he had been defeated. "I suppose you have something to  
say?"  
  
Kiyone bit her lip. "Would you like to ask anything, then?"  
  
The man turned around to look at her, his green eyes piercing  
and full of uncertainty and questions. "Firstly… who is *that*  
man lying there in the lab?"  
  
Kiyone steeled herself, then answered, keeping her voice from  
quavering. "Kova Kashiro."  
  
Seion closed his eyes. "Kova Kashiro. I see." He gave a bitter,  
skyward laugh. "*The* Kova Kashiro? Or is maybe it's just a  
coincidence, and my eyes are just pulling my legs, huh?"  
  
"No… it's no coincidence. He's the man you've been hunting  
for."  
  
There was another burst of forced laughter, and Kiyone would  
have had the impression Seion was bubbling on his own blood,  
except that her pounding headache deprived her of her usual  
mental faculties, and her whole body still ached.  
  
"Maybe… we should sit down and talk…" Kiyone ventured,  
uncertainly, but a quick look to the couch found Nobuyuki  
snoring there.   
  
Seion didn't reply, just leaned against the nearest available wall,  
and slumped down against it to a sitting position on the ground.  
"Why?" He asked, almost angrily. He had been hoping… hoping  
so much for a chance… "Of all people… why him!?" Seion  
raised his chin, glaring up into her eyes.  
  
"I don't know…" Kiyone breathed, her eyes full of worry, as her  
right hand slid her blaster back into her pocket. "I just did…"  
  
"Of all the F***ING people," Seion's voice rose in volume. "…in  
this whole GODDAMN UNIVERSE!?"   
  
"LOOK!" Kiyone screamed back. "It's NOT my fault! I didn't ask  
for this! And if I have to pay for it I am paying for it right now, just  
like I've been paying for it every moment for the whole of the  
past evening with my own frigging BLOOD!" She stepped  
towards Seion, her shadow looming over him, to cover his face  
in darkness, then she slowly stooped down, bringing her face  
and her glowering eyes closer to his.   
  
"Do you realise what kind of a position you're putting me in!?"  
Seion returned, the castigating tone still present in his voice. "Or  
worse yet, what kind of a position you're putting *yourself* in!?"  
  
Kiyone curled her lip up in determination, as she steeled herself  
to be strong, for herself, and for the one who lay within the  
shadowed confines of the lab. "I do, and I don't regret paying  
the price. Every single drop of blood, every single drop of tear,  
that I've shed, was worth it. I don't regret, not now, and not  
ever." Her face was almost level with Seion's, the raging fire in  
her eyes matched by the cool anger of his. "And if *you* have a  
problem with *that*, then cut the crap and order me around like  
the Commanding Officer that you are!" Face to face, nose to  
nose, the shapes of their faces looked uncannily similar, just like  
two identical sets of emerald gemstones, only that behind  
Kiyone's fire uncertainty and determination held sway, while  
behind Seion's there was surprise and… another emotion.  
  
He closed his eyes before her relentless, sighed again, like a  
man defeated. "Does this criminal really mean that much to  
you?"  
  
"Yes." Kiyone's voice boded no opposition, no doubt.   
  
"I'll be perfectly honest with you, Kiyone." Seion opened his  
eyes, and looked up, and she saw the anger and antagonism  
had left them, but within was an earnest, genuine concern and  
care for her. "But I want you to be honest with me too."  
  
Kiyone drew back, her face slightly further from his now, and  
she relaxed slightly. "I will be, then." Her voice was cold, but it  
had softened.  
  
Seion's gaze met hers again, level, and even. "Do you truly  
think… you can find happiness with this man? That he will see  
you through your darkest hours?"  
  
"I don't know." She answered. "But I do know, like me, he will  
try his best to find happiness for both of us, and he would give  
his life and more, to see me through my own hour of need."  
  
"Oh, really?" Seion answered. "It certainly didn't seem that way  
back there…"  
  
Kiyone bit her lip, but kept silent.  
  
"The picture I saw back there ain't that nice… there was an  
ungrateful bastard biting you back even though you later  
defended him." He looked back at her, and this time it was he  
who held the conversation. "I heard you cry out, felt your pain  
as I went in. He's hurting you now… are you sure he even wants  
you at all, much less to make you happy? How do you know,  
he's not just using you, and playing with your emotions, waiting  
to throw you off at the most opportune moment?"  
  
Her body trembled, as she once again felt Kova's steely grip  
about her wrists, locking her blaster into position in front of his  
face. But then she remembered her other moments with him…  
singing together in that Karaoke room by the riverside, holding  
him close as they tumbled together into the river, seizing her as  
she fell down the elevator shaft, twirling her about him on board  
the Comet after Seida was secured, and more…  
  
"He's not like that, Seion. And he never will be."  
  
"Are you sure!? He tried to kill you back outside there, twice  
already…"  
  
"That wasn't him. And earlier… that was staged."  
  
"Well then, what about now?"  
  
"He's… upset." Kiyone swallowed. "He thought… I tried to kill  
him." It was unwise, she decided, to let Seion know Kova was  
jealous of him too, so she left it at that.  
  
The operative sat there quietly a while more, before he tried  
again. "You absolutely sure this will be the path for you to take?  
No regrets?"  
  
"No regrets." Kiyone nodded, determined. "Not now, not ever."  
  
"I can't say I agree entirely with your course of action, but since  
your heart is so set, so be it. I ain't one to be standing in your  
way." He sighed once more, before continuing. "I hereby  
renounce class A GP Criminal Kova Kashiro as my quarry." He  
seemed to be speaking more to the heavens than to her as he  
said that, but then his gaze returned to Kiyone. "But I wish to  
warn you, Kiyone, just because he ain't my foe any more, it does  
not mean he's my friend."  
  
"Wait… wait a minute!" Kiyone asked, perplexity and surprise  
overtaking her, as she finally took her right hand out of her  
blaster pocket. Unbeknownst to Seion, she had been aiming the  
gun at him all along, just in case he refused to cooperate,  
whereupon she would have unhesitatingly shot him down  
where he was. "Why are you doing this? What about your  
career, your job, your assignment?"  
  
Seion smiled again, sadly this time. "So what about them? Big  
deal."  
  
"You… you don't have to do this!" Kiyone's face drew near his  
again, as she tried once, sensing something was amiss,  
something was afoot. "This is my problem, not yours! You don't  
have to give up everything just for this! It's just… pretending!  
Pretending you never saw him, that's all!"  
  
He reached out, and his hand landed comfortingly on her  
shoulder. "Don't worry. The path you choose, is the path I  
choose." He smiled again, only this time, Kiyone found herself  
caught up in his appearance, and she found herself thinking  
how splendid he looked. "I guess that's why heaven let us  
meet."  
  
"But I… I am still a Galaxy Police Officer!" She tried again.  
  
"You love kidding yourself, don't you?" Seion laughed heartily.  
"Sure you are now. But once the Headquarters know about this,  
and what you, and now I, have done, they might decide we ain't  
the right people for them no more." He shrugged. "Might as well  
as get it over with. This way, I think we both know, here and  
now, that the way this is going, we're both willing to stick to our  
guns, and to hell with our badges."  
  
The words Seion spoke, voiced the words that had long been  
buried deep within her heart, words that now resonated to her  
being, and Kiyone knew now, with certainty, that she had  
indeed been kidding herself all along.   
  
I must have made that decision, so long, so long ago, but I can't  
remember when…  
  
"Well… we're in the same boat now, your boat." Seion added.  
"So tell me, captain, where are we going?"  
  
Kiyone blinked, shaking herself out of her reverie. "I… don't  
know for sure."  
  
"I understand." His hand patted her shoulder once more.  
"Captain."  
  
She smiled back. "Oh Seion…" And was about to reach forward  
to hug him when...  
  
Huh!?  
  
She blinked, and just stopped her own impulse.  
  
That was close! Kova was right, what is happening to me?   
  
She could see, in her mind's eye, Seion's radiant smile, and she  
could feel felt his proximity, his kindness, and most of all, his  
sacrifice…  
  
Was Kova-chan right all along!? Am I really, really falling for  
Seion!?  
  
NO I can't… I love Kova-chan…  
  
Quite suddenly, Kiyone jerked herself backward, away from  
Seion.  
  
"Kiyone!?" Seion reached forward and seized her around the  
shoulders. "What's wrong? Was it something I said?"  
  
"No!" She struggled, and pulled both his hands away. "Why are  
you doing this, Seion!?" She suddenly blurted out. "Why are  
you ready and willing to throw a job you've been working at for  
over five years down the drain just for this!? Just for me!?"  
  
Seion opened his mouth as if to speak, but nothing came out of  
his mouth.  
  
"And just now, in the forest… why did you throw yourself in the  
path of the beam? Why did you take the shot for me!?" All the  
misgivings, all the intentions, all the talks between her and him  
came back to her, as she remembered the concern prevalent in  
his exchanges between him and herself, especially with regards  
to Kova. "You care a lot about me, don't you!?" She pressed him  
harder. "Don't you!?  
  
"I… it's not what you think!" Seion tried, with little success.  
  
"Why do you treat me this way? What is your intention!?" She  
probed, her voice full of suspicion. "Who *are* you!?" She drew  
menacingly closer to him. "Are you trying to break me and *him*  
apart!?"  
  
"NO NO! I'm not! I don't mean any harm!" Seion burst out. "I  
didn't even know about *him* till just now!"  
  
"So why are you doing all this for me, huh? What's so special  
about me that you have to do this?"  
  
"Kiyone… I don't know if I should say this…" He licked his lips  
nervously. "I… don't know if you will believe me."   
  
"Oh?" Kiyone smiled sarcastically.   
  
I've been knocked around, bruised, hurt, struck, gripped,  
manhandled, tossed about, and basically have been through the  
worst this past night, and he's worried about telling me  
something!?  
  
Oh please.   
  
"Try me." She continued drily.  
  
Seion licked his lips again. "Promise me though… that even if  
you don't believe it… you won't order me away, or lose your  
temper at me over this…"  
  
"Right." Kiyone answered evenly. "Come on, out with it."  
  
Seion leaned forward, so that it seemed to a distant onlooker,  
that they were about to kiss, and said three very simple words.  
  
"I'm your brother."  
  
=== End of Chapter ===  
  
PLEASE send COMMENTS & CRITICISMS! (C&C)  
  
IMPORTANT :  
I know now for sure I will never finish D&L b4 Jan 2000, so I was   
hoping to set up some kind of mailing list for D&L. Basically just to   
tell u when a new chapter comes out.  
Please mail your Name & Email to zyraen@yahoo.com, no other data is reqd.  
If u like u can provide your age, sex, and readiness to C&C.  
  
NOTES:  
Kova is in a way, an SIed character. Pls include him in your  
comments, whether I have portrayed him as a person, as a friend  
or foe, as one of the gang, and most importantly, as a human being.  
I have some pictures of him, not too good pencil drawings, if you  
wish to take a look pls mail me.  
  
I hope you have enjoyed this Fanfic as much as I have typing it.  
If there are any more grammar errors, I beg your forgiveness, as  
my sole proofreader is myself, and Serajadeyn ^_^.  
  
This is my first FF, so go ahead and mail me at zyraen@yahoo.com  
with comments, especially on character portrayal, realism.  
  
PLEASE send COMMENTS & CRITICISMS! (C&C)  
  
  



	18. No Need for Discord

Disclaimer :  
Most characters in this story are property of AIC and Pioneer.  
They are in such a situation solely because of my imagination.  
This story was written purely for fun.  
  
I would also like to extend my whole hearted thanks and gratitude to  
Patrick "Seion" Stewart, who gave me permission to use his character  
Seion in Darkness & Light .  
  
Seion, if you're reading this and you find I screwed him up, please  
do inform me, I'll do my utmost to put him right. Thank you ^_^.  
  
Seion's work can be found in Gensao's TMFFA, at www.tmffa.com.  
  
NOTE : It has been a while since I submitted a chapter but this   
chapter is certainly quite a mouthful. I've posted a break as  
======BREAK====== near the middle of the story, just in case you   
all need a breather. Juz search for the =BREAK= n you'll get there.  
  
Just a reminder too, the last chapter ended with Kiyone bending over  
Seion and him telling her "I am your brother."  
  
CHAPTER XVII : No Need for Discord  
  
This can't be happening…  
  
The world around her had started to shatter, fray at the  
edges… it seemed to be spinning, whirling around in  
impossible curves to form a nightmarish kaleidoscope within  
her consciousness.  
  
No… no… please don't let this be…  
  
She prayed, but her senses could not, would not, refute the  
evidence of her senses. Although part of her was crying and  
sobbing as she watched, her blue eyes refused to tear  
themselves from the scene…  
  
She wouldn't do this to me! She wouldn't!  
  
Still, she had watched as her friend jerked away from *him*,  
only to be seized by her shoulders, and though she pulled  
both his hands away, but her eyes were still locked onto his,  
still staring at him unblinkingly.  
  
How could you do this to me…!?  
  
Another spate of talking, then she saw… their faces finally  
drew close together, as he leaned forward as if to take her into  
his own world, then her tears mercifully blurred her vision  
altogether.  
  
NO! It's NOT fair! She already has one who is hers, why must  
she DO this to me!? Isn't one enough for her!? How could  
she!? It's not fair, not fair!  
  
Dimly she made out his half naked form withdraw slightly, as  
the lady all but swooned over, in what looked like an extremity  
of pleasure.  
  
He must be such a good kisser, and they look so good  
together… I wish I were in her place! It SHOULD be me! It's not  
right that she should have so many and I have nothing, no one  
for myself, not a single soul at all!  
  
Unable to control the pressure of pent up emotions, building  
up within herself for god knows how long already, she burst  
out at last.   
  
"KIYONE!"  
  
She saw the long-haired lady just manage to turn around and  
look up, just manage to muster up the barest dregs of  
cognisance to see who she was and where she was standing  
up on the stairs.  
  
"Mi… Mihoshi?" Kiyone stuttered, her quivering voice  
reaching to where the blonde had been watching them from  
about five metres away.  
  
"Mihoshi!" Seion exclaimed as he caught sight of Mihoshi over  
Kiyone's shoulder, his voice full of uncertainty and anxiety.   
  
So you two are guilty, huh!? Caught in the act, huh!? Well that  
won't help you!  
  
"I HATE YOU!" She screamed at them from her place halfway  
down the stairs, at the very top of her voice.  
  
Their eyes widened with shock.  
  
Acting innocent, huh!?  
  
"BOTH OF YOU!" Her tears were filling her vision, her sorrow  
choking her throat, and she was rapidly losing strength and  
vehemence in her voice as the sobs welled up. She had  
thought she would be able to at least scream something more,  
but apparently that was not to be so.  
  
Seion and Kiyone stared, like two people witnessing the  
impossible, as Mihoshi, still crying miserably, vanished up the  
stairs.The corridors of Tenchi's house were a blur, and she  
dimly remembered bumping into some walls, but she didn't  
really notice. All she did was just keep on trying to run and run  
in a new direction, until she finally got moving again. Dimly she  
remembered a door sliding open and hearing Tenchi's voice  
say half of her name before she had rushed by him, and by  
some remarkable fortune found herself back in her room,  
where she tripped over something, then knocked over  
something else. It must have hurt badly, or she wouldn't have  
heard that loud grunt of pain, but she staggered on anyway,  
and struck the bedpost, before bouncing off it to land amidst  
the pillows and sheets of her bed, hopefully a place where she  
could at last go drown in her weeping and sorrow, alone and  
uncared for.  
  
====================================  
  
'I'm your brother…'  
  
"That Mihoshi?" She asked, semi-dazed. Her head was still  
spinning, the hammerblows within had intensified to what  
should have been excruciating levels, but she felt light and  
bodiless, like her thoughts had somehow left her spirit  
hanging in the air, almost in limbo, unfettered by her physical  
hurts. "Sure didn't sound like Mihoshi to me." At least not the  
words.  
  
Seion stared at her, his face an expression of shock and  
surprise, which, before her almost unseeing eyes, gradually  
changed into disgusted revelation. "OH NO!"  
  
"What oh no?" Kiyone tried to get a word between.  
  
'I'm your brother…'  
  
Kiyone was not even sure what her mind was thinking, but  
apart from feeling like she had been struck by a thunderbolt  
out of the blue, now she also just might have been  
experiencing what might be the much more intense equivalent  
of the pain and surprise at being bitten by a beloved and  
normally docile pet hamster. "You're not my brother, are you?"  
  
"DAMNIT!" Seion cursed aloud, and quickly tried to stand up,  
but Kiyone casually, almost subconsciously, clung on to him.   
  
'I'm your brother…'  
  
"You don't really expect me to believe that, do you?" Her voice  
was a monotone, even, like the voice of one who has gone  
over the Niagara Falls of insanity and is calmly treading water  
in the peaceful pool below. "Do you?"  
  
"Hang on, gimme a second, okay!?" He cursed again, trying to  
shake her hand off, then just as suddenly Kiyone let go of her  
own accord. "Mihoshi!" Seion sprinted over to the steps, then  
leaning against the wall for a moment to catch his breath and  
recover from the agony streaking up from his injured  
midsection, proceeded to bound his way up the stairs.  
  
Kiyone blinked as she watched him vanish from sight, then  
leaned back against the wall.  
  
'I'm your brother…'  
  
Oh…  
  
Her head hurt a lot worse than before, and now, with her eyes  
closed, she could feel the pain returning and rearing up with a  
vengeance as she tried to gather the scattered remnants of her  
wits about her and make sense of the impossible that she had  
just heard from the lips of a stranger.  
  
So… he's my brother?  
  
The vision of his face… his dark green hair and emerald eyes,  
uncannily akin to hers…  
  
He… can't be.  
  
The image of her mother rose up from within, and she could  
almost see her in him, just like she could almost see her  
mother in her own reflection.  
  
'I'm your brother…'  
  
You never said you had another child. You never said I had a  
brother.  
  
So, he must be lying.  
  
Yet his eyes… his face… they make me think of you…  
  
Emitting a bone-weary sigh, Kiyone leaned forward, seeming  
almost to collapse in slow motion and lie against the cold floor  
of the house. Her head tipped forward over before sinking  
back into her forearms, her dark green hair streaming out over  
her head to be spread out all about her, covering her head  
completely as her body quivered to waves of fear and  
confusion.  
  
Kova-chan, still mad at me? Are you feeling all right, do you  
still hurt?  
  
Seion, who are you, what do you want with me? Can you truly  
be my brother?  
  
Mihoshi, why? Don't you care for me anymore? What  
happened, to hurt you so bad?  
  
She gave a sob full of doubt and apprehension…  
  
Oh how will this story end? Can me and Kova-chan ever…?  
  
Feeling dreadfully alone, vulnerable, helpless and confused  
with her future, the future that she had once looked forward to  
so hopefully (well as hopefully as possible with only Mihoshi in  
her way), obscured behind growing clouds that seemed to  
herald even more oncoming trials, Kiyone could almost feel the  
grains of hope and happiness start to slip through her fingers  
like sand through a sieve…  
  
====================================  
  
"Washu?" The little princess called, as she emerged into yet  
another section of the lab. Sasami tried to remember how  
nothing ever happened to Mihoshi on her trips on finding  
Washu in the lab, short of the direct causality issues that  
involved triggering some device, but even now and then she  
still felt her flesh creep as the darkness hemmed in around,  
filled with flashes from mechanical contraptions that seemed  
to move with a life of their own. Small wonder it was that she  
felt relief as she entered this section, well lit to almost normal  
light levels, and unlike most other sections which were  
cluttered and cramped with devices and machinery, this one  
was spacious and roomy. "Washu?"  
  
Before her was a massive, gargantuan structure, its faintly  
grey left and right frames stretching from either side of this  
huge room, easily over a hundred metres from end to end.  
Lines of light rays were running from either frame, cutting and  
forming different angles so it seemed to outline a faintly  
familiar shape. And, in front of and dwarfed by the structure,  
was just visible the tiny shape of Washu's high backed,  
cushioned revolving chair, and to one side of the chair long  
lengths of scarlet hair showed, hanging over its edge.  
  
"Washu? That you?" Sasami hurried over to the chair, only to  
see the occupant curled up comfortably in a foetal position,  
almost like a child, in the cushioned seat, snatching a set of  
forty winks that seemed, from the serene, content, peaceful  
expression on her face, very much appreciated indeed. The  
spectral laptop was hovering before her chair, its screen full of  
coded scientific gibberish, as usual, while hovering beside it  
was a rack of test tubes, empty but for a single, half filled tube  
of what looked like blood.  
  
Sasami hesitated for a while, for Washu's kawaiiness could  
well be at times comparable to that of Sasami's own, and the  
little princess, an astute and keen observer, noted that here  
and there there were odd rose blemishes about Washu's skin  
that looked similar to that of those of healing welts some hours  
after the scientist had attended to them after their stint on the  
Comet, but her concern for Kova and Kiyone, as well as her  
curiosity as to what actually happened last night, eventually  
won out.  
  
"Washu?" She reached over, gently shaking Washu's  
shoulder, almost gingerly. One hardly ever had any chance to  
see Washu asleep, much less wake her. "Washu?"  
  
It was a while before the scientist regained consciousness,  
looking more than a little testy.  
  
"Huh… what now!?" Washu waved a hand irritably about to  
the world in general. "Leave me alone!" She cuddled up a little  
more into her cushion, revealing the peeking round open eye  
of her classically cute crab logo emblazoned onto it.  
  
Sasami shook her gently. "Oh please… Washu?"  
  
Washu opened one eye, still irked. "Whoever you are, just…"  
Her one open eye blinked as she realised the eyes looking  
over her face were the concerned, worried pink eyes of the  
cutest princess in existence. "Oh."  
  
"Sorry to wake you up Washu…" Sasami started.  
  
She opened her other eye, and stretched. "It's you, Sasami…  
well okay then." Washu yawned. "But make it fast, okay? I've  
got work to do."  
  
"Well… I was wondering if you could tell me what happened…  
especially to Kova and Kiyone…" Sasami murmured. "They  
looked pretty upset a while back." There was a brief hesitation,  
as she added the last remark. "And about Seion."  
  
Washu sighed. It felt like she had been neglecting her own  
interests too much since she embarked on this return trip, from  
designing devices to try to handle the threat of tracing the  
Tachyon Ray, even if some of them had been rather satisfying  
both to invent and to use, to her current interests in refitting  
and reconstructing the Yagami, a process that was  
technologically elementary and simple, albeit somewhat  
tedious simply because some sections were badly fragmented.  
As for Seion's blood sample, she wasn't quite sure if that was  
for personal interest, curiosity, or for pragmatic reasons, but  
most likely for all.  
  
"All right, then. I'll try to keep it simple…"  
  
====================================  
  
Sitting up groggily, she looked around with some sort of weary  
yet wary trepidation, as if watching out for new threats and  
attempting to assess the place as quickly as possible, then  
relaxed, though not completely, as she recognised the familiar  
surroundings.   
  
Looks like I pulled through again.  
  
Shifting herself, she reached over her shoulder to drape the  
cloak over her body, as her lithe, slim legs slid lightly over the  
edge of the spartan bed, to step a little unsteadily on the floor.  
Her leather boots and clothing still clung to her, and she could  
still feel her body protest as the burnt fibres clung to the places  
where her skin had been scorched off to reveal the sensitive  
flesh.  
  
I guess there are things that not even Ken-oh-ki can help me  
with.  
  
If she were someone else, she might have sighed at this point,  
but all she did was tighten her lips into a thin straight line.  
  
Well… those days are over.  
  
She smiled a cold smile to herself, as if reminding herself.  
  
If they had ever been, in the first place.  
  
Not withstanding the ache all about her, she flexed her fingers,  
and violet light shone against the insides of the ship as she  
tested her weapon out, for though she was, as always, one  
hundred percent confident in her combat prowess, somehow  
the light of her companion from so many near death situations  
always made her feel that little bit better and secure.  
  
It had been a long time since she met this kind of challenge,  
apart from Ryoko. But where Ryoko was more of a challenge  
in tracking, cornering, baiting, with only fighting as a last  
resort, this latest personality, this Kova Kashiro, readily  
provided the thrill of combat skill, endurance, cunning and  
intelligence. While these traits were not in themselves a rare  
combination within those who had the dubious honour of  
crossing her path, that they were all present in sufficient  
quantities to provide sufficient challenge for her was rare  
indeed. It was almost a pity, Nagi thought, that he might not  
have survived the night's encounter, for even the shot he had  
taken in his shoulder from Kiyone looked grievous, not to  
mention the deflected attack she had sent tearing into his  
back.   
  
But Kiyone… was that really Kiyone? It seemed… so strange.  
  
Thinking a little, she tried to make sense of what had happened  
after she had lost consciousness. If she was reading her own  
body's condition and the time elapsed correctly, it would seem  
that something had inflicted wide area damage across her  
body after she had been knocked out from his base trick, and  
from the more severe burns on her back, likely from another  
explosion. Glancing across from her bunk to the medical  
screen, she saw the results of the tissue regenerator did  
indeed correspond to the readings. The device was one of the  
most advanced healing devices available in the universe, and  
she knew few doctors and scientists, of course excluding the  
seemingly ever redoubtable Washu, could equal its efficiency,  
but apparently the device rated a rather high reading, so the  
damage done after she had been knocked out must have been  
quite a bit.  
  
Nagi shook her head to herself, almost amused.  
  
Maybe I should have died. But for meeting Ryoko last year on  
Venus, it has been such a very tiresomely long time since I've  
had this kind of opportunity…  
  
As always, she banished the thought before it could have any  
bearing on her disposition. Nagi wasn't one to let emotions  
have any say, much less get in the way. It might have been  
different, once, but she generally did not think enough about it  
to even be sure.  
  
Walking a little delicately to one side, near the full body length  
mirror that was the door to her wardrobe, if such it could be  
called, Nagi started to strip down.   
  
Some things simply had to be done by oneself, she mused, as  
she attended to her less serious hurts. At least life is a lot  
simpler now.  
  
====================================  
  
"What is it, Tenchi?" Ryoko asked, as Tenchi slid the door  
shut, his face an expression of puzzled bewilderment.  
  
"You look apprehensive, lord Tenchi," Aeka added, looking  
concerned.  
  
Tenchi nodded in confirmation of Aeka's words. "That looked  
like Mihoshi… seemed like Mihoshi… but I've never seen or  
heard her this way before." Tenchi sighed, worried.  
  
The space pirate's eyes widened in surprise. "You mean… that  
was her shouting?" She blinked, standing up. "Mihoshi?"  
  
The boy nodded solemnly in reply to her words.  
  
Aeka was no less worried, but she was either too tired to be  
that astonished, or perhaps there was an overriding calm  
within her that seemed to make her seem more composed.  
Either way, the news didn't seem to affect her expression that  
much. "What's wrong with her, Tenchi?"  
  
Tenchi sighed, waving his hands about helplessly in the air. "I  
don't know… how could I?" He asked bitterly. The encounters  
from last night weren't helping his disposition anyway, and he  
didn't feel particularly inclined to talk, much less examine the  
reasons for Mihoshi's distress. The only thing he could feel  
most keenly was how tired he was, and if Ryoko and Aeka  
were feeling fine.  
  
The elder princess, seated upright in his bed, looked curiously  
up at him, her gaze level and piercing at him. "I'm all right now,  
Tenchi." She whispered, just audibly. "But what's going on?"  
  
"I… I'm not really sure." He mumbled, himself confused. "I  
think it has something to do with Kiyone, Kova and Seion, but I  
really don't know…"  
  
Ryoko sighed, leaning back. "So… it's up to me again, I  
suppose?"  
  
Then, unexpectedly, she saw Aeka turn to her, a winsome,  
petite smile of gratefulness on her face. "Thank you, Ryoko."   
  
Ryoko and Tenchi blinked together.  
  
Huh? Why is she saying that?  
  
Aeka's smile broadened. "Really, Ryoko, I would appreciate it  
very much indeed if you would go check on the rest of them."  
  
Ryoko arched an eyebrow queerly, suspicion clouding her  
brows.  
  
Aeka thought for a moment, wondering if she should take the  
chance, then decided she would come clean. "I was also  
thinking how nice it would be to be able to talk to lord Tenchi a  
while, in private."  
  
OH! Tenchi thought. So that's what she had in mind…  
  
Ryoko gave Aeka a perturbed look, only to be met by the  
bedridden princess' guileless smile and trusting gaze.  
  
What's going on? What is she trying to do?  
  
No matter, whatever it is, I am certainly NOT going to let Aeka  
have more chances on Tenchi…  
  
Or would I?  
  
Her gaze met her rival's one once again, violet amethyst eyes  
watching her unwaveringly.  
  
But why did she say it plain? Does she really trust me? What  
makes her think after she announced her intention plainly I  
would go on to let her have her way?  
  
The space pirate snatched a quick sidewards glance at Tenchi,  
to see him not only surprised at Aeka, but she could see he  
was still pretty upset about the commotion Mihoshi had kicked  
up, as well as the tumultuous events of the previous night.  
  
Sighing as she realised, with both Tenchi and Aeka… hey,  
when did Aeka ever count anyway!?… wishing her to do this,  
she could not refuse them this favour, and she bowed her  
head, preparing to teleport away…  
  
Strange, it almost seems as if I were more perceptive, more  
acute than before. Yet why does it seem that, perhaps, all of  
this heightened sensitivity and care for others makes it that  
much more difficult to get things the way I want them?  
  
As she disappeared, she just made out Aeka's voice. "My  
gratitude and Tenchi's love go with you." Indeed, Tenchi might  
have tried to snatch a word, but the princess' words effectively  
reduced him, once again, to a state of baffled perplexity…  
  
Ryoko found herself smiling to herself, happily, and  
somewhere inside her, it troubled her, made her feel uneasy  
and think it inane that she could find herself glad about, of all  
people, her rival's compliment. It was also with some surprise  
she realised the triumphant sarcasm she had so often heard in  
Aeka's voice from the past had hardly ever been, and in most  
cases was the product of her own imagination…  
  
Perhaps it is true that a heartfelt compliment, as acknowledged  
by an opponent, is the truest compliment that can ever be  
received.  
  
====================================  
  
Bursting through the door, notwithstanding the fact that it was  
already open, Seion looked hastily around the unlit room, and  
sure enough, his eyes came to rest as they focused on the  
figure sprawled diagonally across the bed in a depression.  
  
"Mihoshi?" Seion rushed over, making out as he did so the  
faintly quivering figure which, along the spasmodic bobbing of  
the curls of golden hair, generally gave the impression of  
having gone through a much more intense and strong bout of  
trembling that was subsiding even as the clammy touch of  
despairing sorrow seeped through the mental barriers of hurt  
and pain, and he felt something in him break down at seeing  
the seemingly ever cheerful blonde so upset.  
  
Seion was no greenhorn, and considered himself, correctly,  
quite a romantic, as well as a rather able person with women,  
at least in the short term, but in this moment, as he watched  
Mihoshi's form quiver, face down upon the bed, with her face  
buried in her pillows and her arms invisible under the blanket  
under the pillow except for the occasional tremor that briefly  
outlined them, he felt himself at a loss, completely uncertain  
how to comfort this recent acquaintance of his.  
  
There was, just barely audible, another muffled, soft and  
high-pitched sob, and Seion winced as he could felt her pain,  
from that one heartbreaking sound, arc through him, the pain  
of one who has waited long and suffered silently, keeping up a  
good cheer and a positive outlook when things did not quite  
go one's way, only to find at the end of the road there was  
nothing, not even the barest hint that the ghost of a dream so  
long neglected and far away could come true.  
  
What could have happened to her?  
  
Another pang of remorse shook him.  
  
Operative 231 was basically a simple person. Except for the  
caution and care he had invested in when executing  
operations, life had been simple for him. Before this he had  
lived a more or less carefree life during the brief intervals  
between assignments, was jocund, and found pleasure in the  
simple things in life like a good laugh with his SpecOp  
comrades, a generous helping of spirits, preferably Amanese  
rum, and kept his dealings with women simple, open and  
mutually pleasurable. He found that honour, good cheer and  
sincere goodwill, lubricated now and then with alcohol,  
generally sufficed to keep his daily interactions friendly and  
tension free. Yet everything had changed now. Mitsuki had  
proven a pretty bad choice for a colleague, he had been made  
to tiptoe around Kiyone, who was probably still skeptical and  
deliberating about his identity, he had more or less turned his  
back on the only life he had ever known, and now there was  
Mihoshi here…  
  
If I'm going to sort things out, one at a time would be a good  
way, now would be a good start, and as soon as possible  
would be a good time to start.  
  
He looked at the pathetic, tremulous figure on the bed once  
more, and he felt his heart wrench with sorrow again to see her  
so hurt.  
  
It doesn't matter … she's upset, and it was my fault, I *have* to  
do something.  
  
And he did do something, essentially what a simple man does  
when faced with an unfamiliar situation.   
  
He let his instincts take over…  
  
Lightly moving over behind Mihoshi, he gently took hold of  
her…  
  
"Seion?" he heard a quivering, soft voice ask as she tilted her  
head slightly, to reveal blue eyes, wet and blurred, opening to  
stare at him out of the corner of her eye, somewhat unfocused,  
before he carefully but deftly turned her over to look full at him.  
  
Then, for a reply, he gently cupped her face with both his  
hands, and let his thumbs brush the tears away.  
  
"I'm dreaming, aren't I?" Mihoshi murmured, seeming to be  
staring into space, as someone's hands gently tousled  
through her hair, then after lightly touching upon her neck  
came to rest upon her shoulders.  
  
The blonde looked up, as the man paused, his curl of dark  
green hair coming down over the front of the left of his face,  
and she could just make out his shining green eyes, the same  
ones she had last seen at such close range, belonging to the  
same person who had just stopped his ministrations so she  
could take a good look at him.  
  
"No…no!" Mihoshi suddenly exclaimed, and shut her eyes  
tight. "No.. you're not him… he's downstairs… with Kiyone…"  
Her voice trailed away in agony, and Seion winced as he felt  
her body tremble with pain at her own words.  
  
Something soft and smooth as a pair of rose petals brushed  
gently on one closed eyelid, then another, and she felt her  
anxiety drain away. As the touch left her other eye, she opened  
it slowly again, half expecting to see nothing, but instead she  
saw his lips slowly rising from above her face, and smooth into  
a genial smile, somehow delighted yet also concerned.  
  
"It's not … I don't deserve this… I'm just… no one…" She  
mumbled, her lips moving in a slow yet hurried fashion as it  
stumbled over the stream of words and emotions that flowed  
too quickly from her brain for her to be able to speak  
coherently. "… with her… don't bother… just a dream… not  
here…" Her shivering began to increase, and she began to  
speak faster, her eyes glazed over as her body shook.  
"Alone… I'm just imagining… no…" The tears were beginning  
to blur her eyes, mercifully, at least to her.  
  
Seion bit his lip, his feelings in tumult as he watched Mihoshi  
writhe in her misery.  
  
What can I do to tell you I'm here? That I am here to care for  
you, to comfort you?  
  
Closing his eyes, he gently leaned forward and lowered  
himself onto her. Mihoshi, in the middle of her sorrow, blinked  
as she saw his face fill her vision, and then her frenetically  
denying voice was cut off as something warm and soft and  
tender closed over her mouth, and her eyes widened as he  
kissed her forcefully, as if to say 'I'm here now. Don't hurt  
yourself no more, and don't be sad.'  
  
I… I'm dreaming…  
  
An artful flick of his tongue within her sent a wave of pleasure  
down her, and almost instinctively, she responded eagerly,  
and her hands reached out for him, closing around his bare  
body, while his presence awakened in her a part of herself she  
had known but once, a part untouched for so long now, only  
manifested in her daily life by the way she gave the best of  
herself she could, even as she did now…  
  
As he drew her close, or perhaps she drew him close, a brief,  
worrying thought flashed through Seion's mind.  
  
I forgot to close the door!  
  
There was an equivalent of a mental shrug.  
  
Big deal.  
  
Then the thought was promptly tossed out the window, in  
favour of other, more pressing preoccupations, and one hand  
slid under Mihoshi's knees, to lift her body up and lay her full  
onto the bed…  
  
====================================  
  
Kova stirred, as he felt someone touch him. His eyes nearly  
sprang open, and his lips was about to form to first syllable of  
her name, when his mind took over again…  
  
STOP THIS YOU DIMWIT!   
  
A gentle sigh escaped his lips.  
  
She's gone and left you. And now you're dead, or at least,  
might as well be.  
  
He felt the touch again, this time settling down on his arm.  
  
No… it's not Kiyone-chan. Her fingers are longer, her touch  
gentler and less clumsy and heavy.  
  
He would have berated himself for still thinking of Kiyone in  
that fashion, and maybe tried to think who it was touching him,  
but then he realised, in his slough of despair, that neither could  
possibly make a difference and decided he simply couldn't be  
bothered.  
  
"Kova?"  
  
In direct defiance to one of the odd laws that seemed to govern  
most cartoons, he stopped himself from opening one eye and  
studiously kept both shut.  
  
"Kova!" The voice was louder now, and sounded high pitched  
and irked, very much the way one would expect a very young  
girl would sound when tugging a parent's sleeve and pointing  
to a certain toy. "Wake up!"  
  
Quite unexpectedly, a finger poked lightly into his right side,  
and he winced slightly as his muscles at his side contracted -  
he was, despite all appearances, a ticklish man. The volume of  
the voice became louder, as another hand seized his right arm  
and started shaking him vigorously. "All right, I know you're  
awake!"  
  
Seeing as he had little choice, Kova sighed softly and opened  
his eyes, although he already knew full well who was facing  
him. "What is it, Sasami?" He asked, his breath like a sigh of a  
wraith.  
  
The little princess edged over to his side, craning her neck  
slightly so she could gaze into his face. The corpse-like pallor  
had not left, nor had the look of bleak despair. If Sasami didn't  
know better, she would have vouchsafed she was looking at a  
dying man. Perhaps not so much a dying man, as one who no  
longer possessed the will to live.  
  
"Kova, why are you mad at Kiyone?"  
  
"Mad?" He asked, his voice uncertain. "Maybe. Maybe not."  
His head lolled slightly to face Sasami, although whether  
intentional or not it was hard for her to tell. "Does it even  
matter?"  
  
"Yes it does!" Sasami pouted, earning a curious stare from  
Kova.  
  
"To each, his or her own," the spy answered wryly. Even in his  
mental and physical state of weakness he still had not lost his  
tongue in cheek mannerism.  
  
"Kova!!!" Sasami shrieked. "If you don't tell me I'm going to get  
very mad!"  
  
"And pray tell, who are you to say that?"  
  
Sasami blinked as she felt a cold metal point press into the  
small of her back.  
  
"You could die." He added, almost good humouredly.  
  
"You won't." Sasami said, confidently. "I know you won't."  
  
"In case you forgot, or have never been told, princess," he  
whispered softly. "I used to be a space pirate. I killed people for  
a living."  
  
"I don't know that…but I know you're my friend, you wouldn't  
do that to me."  
  
"Perhaps."  
  
Sudden streaks of pain shot out from the small of her back,  
and Sasami nearly screamed except she bit her lip, and the  
sudden shock nearly sent her on her knees, but her will held,  
and the next moment the sensation was gone, leaving just the  
vestiges of tears in her eyes.  
  
"Perhaps not." He watched, bemused, as Sasami leaned  
forward slightly, trying to recover her breath. The pain was low,  
maybe about the same as that administered by a knuckled  
punch, but nonetheless it was considerable when applied to a  
child's body.  
  
"That hurt…" the princess managed, her voice trembling, more  
with shock than anything.   
  
"Yes… and it could hurt worse."  
  
Taking a deep breath, her pink eyes flashing anger, Sasami  
answered. "You don't want to do this… I *know* you."  
  
"Oh?" He smiled, but it was brittle and frosty, his eyes mirrors  
where Sasami saw herself, weary and in pain. "Let's hear it."  
  
"You think you're going to leave or die because Kiyone  
doesn't love you anymore." The princess spoke. "And you're  
trying to get me to hate you so when that happens I won't feel  
sad…"  
  
"Impressive, princess." The lips curled into a cold sneer. "How  
imaginatively optimistic. You do give me too much credit."  
  
"There!" Sasami declared. "You're doing it again."  
  
Kova, the expression on his face not changing, was about  
send another surge of energy into Sasami when he spotted the  
light in the distance, and a figure entered…  
  
"Ah… my end draws near." He lay back, in resignation and  
Sasami heaved a sigh of relief as she felt the chill metal point  
leave her back, and turned to look. "The executioner."  
  
"Kiyone!" She cried in delight, as she recognised the  
silhouette of the detective ere the door closed behind her and  
shut out the line of light, then, her ponytails bouncing, she ran  
towards the approaching figure. "Oh Kiyone you simply must  
talk to him there's been some kind of…"  
  
She blinked as Kiyone quite nonchalantly sidestepped her  
dash, as if she were no more than an inanimate obstacle.  
  
"Kova-chan," she murmured, softly, as Sasami turned around  
in surprise.  
  
"Kiyone-chan." He acknowledged, as she came to stand at the  
foot of the examination table. "Seeing me off so soon?" The  
words became bitter. "Isn't he going to come and gloat?"  
  
Kiyone didn't speak, didn't move. He tried to see her face, but  
she was standing just within the light over his table, so that the  
light only illuminated her body but left the portion above her  
neck in the dark, while the proximity of light ruined his limited  
night vision. There was a sigh from her. "Why do you keep  
doing this, Kova-chan?" Brokenly.  
  
"Why do you keep me alive, Kiyone-chan?" Came the curt  
reply.  
  
Kiyone bit her lip hard, just managing to keep from swearing  
out loud, another tear coursing down her face. "Kova-chan,  
won't you please give me a chance?"  
  
"I am neither deaf or blind." He returned. "I can tell what's  
going on…" There was a soft smile from his face. "But it's  
okay… he's better suited for you anyway. He can and will take  
care of you."  
  
"But it's NOT the SAME!" Kiyone burst out.   
  
"True." Kova nodded slightly. "Not being outlawed, pursued,  
hunted, or chasing after Synereans or a Tachyon Ray." The  
smile broadened. "That's a nice life." His hand made a weak  
gesture. "I'd take it if I were you."  
  
"No." There was a deep breath, from the darkened face he  
couldn't see. "You wouldn't." Her voice became firm and  
determined. "I *know* you wouldn't."  
  
There was a silence.  
  
"I'm sorry, Kiyone-chan." He murmured, his hands plucking  
feebly at the sheet over him. "I've never been so weak, hurt so  
badly before."  
  
Oh… Sasami thought. So that's another reason why he hurt  
me, to feel in control…  
  
Kiyone finally walked forward to lean over him, her dark green  
hair falling about him like a drape, shielding him from the  
blinding light above. "It's okay… it's okay to be weak…" Her  
hand gently cradled his face, and she forced herself to smile  
despite seeing the state he was in.  
  
"Yes." He turned his face away, and Kiyone felt her heart chill  
within her. "It's okay to be rendered thus, but *not* okay to be  
rendered thus by you."  
  
"Kova-chan, I…"  
  
"It's not okay…" his voice was rising. "It's not okay to be  
standing in front of the one you *love*, to be standing in front  
of the one you *trust*, and to be suddenly be shot down by  
her." He exhaled, his breath deep almost as if he wished to  
expel all the air from his lungs so he could rest.  
  
"But Kova-chan…" Another line of tears ran down Kiyone's  
face. "It wasn't me! It really wasn't…"  
  
There was a snarl from him. "I know what I saw!" He grated,  
and his ferocious gaze caused Kiyone to start back. "I saw you  
behind me… I saw that golden beam burst out from my  
shoulder…" He gazed hard at her. "And I turned… and you  
wanted me dead…" He closed his eyes from the pain, and  
something glimmered from within.  
  
"It was a cyborg! It really was!!" Kiyone cried, shaking him  
slightly. "Why don't you listen to me like you used to!?"  
  
"The beam was gold." He returned, softly. "The ones we met…  
they only fire red ones."  
  
"This one was different!" She tried again, desperately. "It could  
alter its beam colour…" She thought of Kova firing from  
behind her and striking Seion. "Yes, that must have been it!"  
  
"Why should I believe you?" his reply was cold, and to the  
point.  
  
"DAMNIT!" She screamed, standing up. "Because it's the  
TRUTH! Because it's the GODDAMN F***ING truth!"  
  
There was silence again, followed only by Kiyone trying to  
catch her breath.  
  
A voice broke the silence, a young voice, yet steely and  
confident. "You're wrong, Kiyone."  
  
Too emotionally drained to even be surprised, Kiyone turned  
to look at the speaker, as did Kova, who regarded the person  
oddly.  
  
"Oh? Do enlighten me, young one." He asked, curiosity  
spurring him on.  
  
Could have sworn Sasami was trying to reconcile me with  
Kiyone, was she not?  
  
The little princess composed herself by taking a deep breath.  
"You're wrong, Kiyone." She answered. "Washu told me  
everything."  
  
Kiyone blinked. "Then you know! It was NOT me, I was with  
Washu all along!"  
  
Sasami shook her head earnestly. "No, you're wrong."  
  
Kova flinched, feeling a soul numbing chill settle upon him,  
sucking his life out…  
  
Had it really been Kiyone-chan!?  
  
The green-haired detective stared at Sasami, her eyes wide  
with disbelief. "WHAT THE HE…!"  
  
"Please… Kiyone. Listen to me." The princess replied evenly,  
and her pink eyes met Kiyone's flustered, dilated ones. The  
detective froze in mid sentence and stopped, and Kova kept  
silent, as he realised that somewhere deep inside him, he still  
prayed and longed to believe that Kiyone truly was not the one  
who had shot him. Sasami nodded, satisfied, the sober,  
earnest expression not leaving her face for a moment. "You…"  
She tilted her head at Kova. "Asked Kiyone why you should  
believe her, right?"  
  
Kova nodded, slowly, his eyes still misted with astonishment.  
  
"And you, Kiyone… what did you say?" Sasami asked gently.  
  
"I said…" Kiyone sighed. "Because it was the truth."  
  
Here Sasami smiled, and lifted up a reproving finger. "No no  
no… my point exactly." She smiled gently. "That's wrong…"  
  
"But it's the TRUTH!" Kiyone shrieked at her again. "I *didn't*  
h…"  
  
"So what if it is the truth?" Sasami smiled sweetly, and Kiyone  
and Kova both blinked in confusion. "It's the wrong answer."  
  
Kiyone turned to Kova, too much at a loss to speak. He  
regarded her, his eyes questioning, in genuine puzzlement. If  
Kiyone wasn't herself perplexed, she might have noted there  
was no longer animosity in his eye, but pleading…   
  
"What is it, then?" Kova asked, turning away from Kiyone.  
  
"Because she's Kiyone."  
  
There was a silence, and though Sasami was standing in the  
dark, it seemed that the curtains had gone over both Kiyone  
and Kova, and she was the only one left on stage. They could  
hear her voice now, seeming to fill the darkness and the light,  
both darkness and light, of their own making, and now her  
words shone out, to be burned and etched indelibly into their  
minds for all of the rest of their lives.  
  
"You should believe her because she's Kiyone."  
  
"Because she's the one that you love."  
  
"Because she's the one that will always be there for you."  
  
Quite calmly, slowly, and unhurriedly, Sasami put down the  
metaphorical microphone, and stepped out of the limelight.  
There was a brief crack of light as the door opened, and they  
could see her, her shadow outlined as if with the radiant  
wisdom that shone out from around her, then she was gone.  
  
Kiyone was still staring, stunned, when she felt someone  
gently clasp her fingers.  
  
"Kova-chan?" She turned around, slowly, almost not daring to  
believe what was happening.  
  
"Can you…" He swallowed, mustering a smile as he squeezed  
her hand slightly, and though his face was wet with tears  
running freely down his face, with his expression turned into  
that of deepest remorse and regret, her heart leaped within her  
as she realised his face was steadily flushing with blood that  
banished the pale countenance, and it felt good to see him  
with a human expression rather than the cold void of feelings  
he wore earlier. "… forgive…" His other hand reached out for  
her, but his weakness, induced by his sudden overwhelming  
emotions, overtook him, and he faltered as his hand fell.  
  
"Kova-chan…" Quick as a flash, Kiyone had seized his other  
hand, and was holding it to the side of her face, even as she  
gently leaned over and knelt down slightly. "There's nothing to  
forgive…"  
  
"I've…" His voice was thick with emotion, and he seemed to  
choke slightly. "…been weak." She felt his hand by her face  
gently brush her face. "Hurt you…" He closed his eyes once  
again, bitter tears of self reprove running down them once  
more. "Sorry."  
  
"It's okay… everything's all right now…" Kiyone murmured.  
  
"Help me…" He quavered slightly. "I'm weak… help me."  
  
Inside, part of Kiyone trembled with emotion. Kova rarely  
asked anyone for help, and this time, there was no veneer of  
sophistication, no careful persuasion or words of dignity. It  
was a plea, a supplication, pure and simple.  
  
"I'm here for you…" She lifted his upper body up carefully, so  
as not to hurt him, and let him lean against her as she sat on  
the side of the examination table. "I am…" she stroked his hair  
softly, even as his hand rested on her lap. But even then, she  
was not a saint. It was not easy to forget after he had hurt her  
so, and there was something she simply had to ask. "Do you  
believe me now, Kova-chan?"  
  
"Yes," he uttered softly. "But it doesn't matter, and I was a fool  
to believe it did."  
  
"Oh?" She asked, but she already knew in her heart what he  
was going to say.  
  
"As long as we love each other, nothing else matters."  
  
"Yes…" Kiyone smiled as she stroked his hair, and felt his arm  
around her caress her neck. "And nothing is going to stand in  
our way."  
  
====================================  
  
She waited until the door closed behind her and…  
  
"YAY!" Sasami laughed, doing a little dance of her own in  
pleasure.  
  
A figure, sitting anxiously by the door, looked up in surprise as  
Sasami emerged. "Huh?"  
  
Thinking of what she had just pulled off, Sasami emitted  
another series of delighted giggles, congratulating herself  
immensely.  
  
"What's going on here!?" The person beside her stood up,  
sounding a little irate.  
  
Sasami turned to look at her, too satisfied with herself to even  
be surprised. "Oh Ryoko! I'm so happy I did it!" She laughed,  
hugging the space pirate.  
  
"What the…?" Ryoko looked down at the little princess.   
  
I saw a sullen Kiyone go in… and a happy Sasami come out…  
  
"Erm… could you please tell me what is going on?" She  
asked, a little discomfited.  
  
Smiling broadly, her kawaii face full of delight, Sasami replied.  
"I'm very, very, very happy! I finally got through to them!"  
  
"Got through to who?" Ryoko asked.  
  
Well if Sasami is happy then things can't be that bad… though  
Kiyone certainly looked pretty bad when I got her up.  
  
"Well… Kova was pretty mean…" Sasami said thoughtfully, if a  
little haughtily, although it wasn't her fault, she did indeed  
deserve one or two pats on the back and rounds of applause  
for her rather ingenious method. "And Kiyone wasn't listening  
either."  
  
"Oh?" Ryoko blinked. She had tried talking to Kiyone, trying to  
ask what was wrong. The detective had used her merely as an  
animate prop to pull herself up, ignored her concerned  
questioning, and coldly ordered her not to follow her as she  
entered the lab. "How did you get them to listen?"  
  
"Well… I like to think I can understand them pretty  
well…"Sasami mused. "It all comes to figuring out what they're  
upset with."  
  
"Really?" and Ryoko started thinking…  
  
Hey… I might be able to work things out with Tenchi this way!  
  
I might even be able to edge out Aeka by being more sensitive  
as her! Yes, that's it!  
  
"How'd you do it?"  
  
"Kova was just so mad and upset, he forgot how much Kiyone  
meant to him." Sasami giggled. "As for Kiyone, by answering  
him straightforwardly, she was making him think of all the  
reasons to feel worse, rather than think how much she means  
to him, and that made them both feel even worse." She gave  
another laugh. "It's all very simple really."  
  
"Uh.. could you repeat that again?" The space pirate looked at  
her in blank astonishment. "How did you do all that?"  
  
Sheesh, this is making me feel stupider than even Washu's  
scientific explanations.  
  
"You just have to pick them up when they are listening." She  
winked conspiratorially. "And you also have to see what  
they're really hoping for, then maybe… you *don't* give it to  
them." Ryoko's smile remained where it was as the rest of her  
face fell behind it. "Then if you need to you remind them what  
matters, and the rest should work out just fine."   
  
After thinking about it a while, and then, her face still blank,  
Ryoko replied with an "Oh."   
  
Great… just *what* is she talking about?  
  
"This is great!" Sasami jumped up again, and for want of  
something to do, hugged herself for a moment in  
congratulation. "I think I'm going to make breakfast, you're all  
going to be so hungry!" So concluding, she skipped her way  
into the kitchen, humming to herself.  
  
Ryoko stared after her with an rather common mix of  
consternation and astonishment. "Well…" she sighed to  
herself. "Guess this just ain't my piece of cake."  
  
====================================  
  
Some while ago…  
  
She had been in heaven for what seemed at once eternity yet a  
fleeting moment, then the kiss ended, and as she regained her  
senses she became aware of his presence, ever so close to  
her, the press of his muscular chest on her form, of his hands  
gently running over her, and though his touch was  
pleasurable, they brought back memories, painful ones from  
long long ago, of more eagerly groping, less gentle and skilled  
hands…  
  
'But I was so sure he loved me!' She could hear her own  
words, spoken to Kiyone, once, years ago, echoing dimly in  
her mind.  
  
"Uh…" She started struggling, slightly at first, but surely.  
  
With one hand just having gripped the base of her tank top,  
Seion blinked. "Mihoshi?"  
  
But I had been pulling all the right moves!  
  
"Let go of me." She said softly, though part of her screamed at  
herself for being insane. "Let go, I said!" She cried, not very  
loudly, but a cry nevertheless.  
  
Sensing the desire had ebbed from her, and that she was  
struggling with the earnest intention not to go along, Seion  
quickly pushed back from on top her.   
  
Still slightly groggy and disoriented, Mihoshi got up, propping  
herself up on her elbows, her eyes, still slightly sore, looking  
around the room, and settling on the figure straddling her  
thighs, sitting back on both his knees in the traditional  
kneeling style.  
  
"Are you… really…" Mihoshi blushed slightly, even as her eyes  
managed to focus. "…him?"   
  
He smiled slightly. "I'm Seion, if that's what you mean."  
  
Her eyes widened slightly as she saw his muscles ripple  
across his chest as he spoke. "Oh." She looked at where he  
was. "Er… how did you get here? What happened?" There  
was a strange feeling in her throat, like honey had just dribbled  
down it, and she was feeling light headed, and no longer  
unhappy anymore, at least not noticeably.  
  
"Erm… well…" Seion scratched his head uncomfortably. "I  
had came up here to comfort you… and…"   
  
…tried to take advantage of you?  
  
No! I wouldn't do such a thing! I just…  
  
"…tried to make you happy." He smiled, a little uncertainly.  
Part of him wondered at that. It was not like he had no  
encounters with women, and generally he wouldn't have  
minded, but he realised he wanted Mihoshi to think very, very  
highly of him, indeed.  
  
And this is a shitty place to start, he pointed out to himself as  
he thought of where he was.   
  
"Oh." Mihoshi put a finger to her lip, which felt funny. She did  
vaguely remember crying, and feeling sad, but it had passed  
now, although not completely, and a thought dawned on her.  
"Was it a kiss?" She blushed slightly.  
  
"Uh… yeah."  
  
"Oooh." Her blush deepened. "I haven't been kissed very  
much, you know?" She smiled sheepishly.  
  
"Well… it was a pleasure." Seion beamed back. He was feeling  
his blood start to run hot again, given his position over looking  
Mihoshi, who was still on the bed, her tank top a little unkempt.  
  
"It was very n…" She paused sudddenly. "Oooh… how  
embarassing!" She burst out into nervous girlish laughter.  
  
He leaned forward, attracted by her display of kawaii  
innocence. "You're very…"  
  
"Erm…" She shifted suddenly, as she realised where he was.  
"Could you get off me please?"  
  
"Huh?" He blinked again.  
  
DAMN I could have sworn she liked me!  
  
"Well.. you know get off… stop sitting on my legs like this, you  
know…"  
  
"Oh." He exclaimed disappointed, as he moved off from on top  
of her.  
  
"Thanks…" Mihoshi replied, but while it was flattering to him it  
was also discomfiting the way her eyes were nailed onto him,  
watching him almost warily, as her memories seeped back  
ever so slowly.  
  
"Er… what's wrong?" He asked. "Do you… not like me?" He  
tried lamely.  
  
Man, something must have gone and screwed up my mind!  
The most important of them all, then my mind goes on strike  
and I ain't my usual dashing self!  
  
"No… it's not that." Mihoshi's eyes were wide now, and her  
mouth had subsided from her original smile into a small thin  
line, like those at once timid and fearful. "I don't know you."   
  
"What, me?" He blinked again. "I'm Seion, see?"  
  
"Yah. But I don't know anything about you…" Even as Seion  
watched, she brought her knees up in front of her, as if trying  
to make herself as small as possible, and it was with a sinking  
feeling he realised she was shrinking away from him.  
  
Mihoshi shut her eyes, and she could see Seion again, leaning  
against the corner of the wall as Kiyone approached him  
eagerly, and their faces came close together.  
  
"Go away." She said softly, and to Seion's alarm, when she  
opened her eyes, he could see the shine of tears once again.  
"You are wasting time here…" She drew her legs closer to  
herself. "I'm not worth your time."  
  
"I…"  
  
"I know you like Kiyone… don't pretend to want me." She  
closed her eyes, the dull throbbing ache returning to her heart.  
"I'm not smart like her." She sniffled slightly. "I always do  
something wrong."   
  
"You're not… you're…"  
  
"No. I always get people mad." Seion could see the sadness  
build up in her eyes, and as she closed them, hugging herself  
even tighter, he could see glistening trails across her  
beautifully tanned chocolate brown skin. "And I'm not  
beautiful…"  
  
The image of Tenchi, standing before her, defending her from  
Ryoko with only a hoe… the image of Kova, pulling her away  
from the gunshots and hurling the cup to distract the  
gunman… Tenchi on board the Comet, with Tenchi-ken sailing  
through the air to meet Terminus' scarlet ball of energy… But  
all the nice guys, they all went to someone else. They always  
did.   
  
Just like Seion.  
  
"Course you are…" he tried.  
  
"I can't even get anyone to like me…"  
  
"No!" Seion exclaimed, a little too loud.  
  
Mihoshi's sky blue eyes turned to meet his, but they were no  
longer the same trusting, open, guileless blue eyes that he had  
first seen in the apartment. "What do you mean?"  
  
"I… like you." He said, licking his lips nervously. "I think you're  
cute."  
  
Great… Mr Makibi, great time for your suave side to go AWOL  
(Absent Without Official Leave).  
  
"I don't know you." Her brows narrowed together. "And you  
like Kiyone more anyway."  
  
"I do… but…" Seion blinked as his own words sunk in. "Ack  
no! That was not what I…"  
  
"You think I'm just another one of them, do you!?" Mihoshi  
accused him. "You're just trying to use me because Kiyone  
already has got someone else! Do you think I'm stupid!?" She  
blinked a moment, surprised at her words, then continued  
anyway. "And so what if I am!? I've been hurt before, and I'm  
not going to let people like you hurt me again!"  
  
He started, seeing the anger and pain seething inside Mihoshi,  
the bottled up resentment that had so often been displaced by  
her good nature, finally start to show after such a long time,  
such a long time of seeing everyone happy, and herself pining,  
always pining and waiting and hoping… in vain.  
  
"Please… I…"  
  
"Go away!" Mihoshi cried, tears running freely down her  
cheeks. "You're just trying to make use of me…" Her heart  
constricted as she thought how Kiyone had betrayed her by  
tempting Seion. "Even Kiyone… she betrayed me!"  
  
"She didn't! She was…"  
  
"I said go away!" Mihoshi grabbed a pillow and hurled it at  
Seion, who winced painfully as it struck near his wound in his  
stomach, but Mihoshi didn't notice. "I'm not worth your time or  
your love! I'm just another stupid, brainless blonde bimbo that  
you want to try on for fun!" She paused suddenly, in mid swing  
with a pillow. "And… I don't even have a best friend  
anymore…" Here her voice was soft, silent, broken.  
  
"Mihoshi, that's not…"  
  
There was a slight movement in the air, before Seion turned,  
full of wary alertness, to look upon Ryoko who materialised out  
of thin air and blinked as she saw Mihoshi lying on the bed, her  
tank top looking way too stretched for normal cases, while  
Seion sat beside her, half naked, of course, as he did not have  
a shirt.  
  
"What are you doing here?" Seion and Ryoko asked each  
other, almost simultaneously.  
  
Mihoshi gave a heartrending wail, and turned away to bury her  
head into the pillows. It had been bad enough seeing him with  
Kiyone, and she certainly was not going to look or listen to  
Ryoko making out with Seion.  
  
"All right, what did you do to her!?" Ryoko snarled at Seion in  
irritated anger, but he ignored her and bent over towards  
Mihoshi, reaching out a comforting hand for her shoulder…  
  
"Mihoshi…" he murmured. "Life ain't such a bitch…" She  
couldn't hear his words, having pressed the pillows to the  
sides of her head, but she did stiffen as she felt him lay a hand  
on her shoulder to pat her.  
  
"Go away!" Mihoshi suddenly lashed out, her hand swinging in  
a wild arc from behind her.  
  
Ryoko, who had been readying herself to drag Seion away if  
he tried to force himself on Mihoshi, blinked as she watched  
the SpecOp stay exactly where he was, and by some quirk of  
fate, Mihoshi's hand struck him across the face. His handsome  
face tightened and the lips curled up in resolve even as his  
green eyes quivered with emotion, for though he had been  
subject to some of the most gruelling conditions during his  
training both as a SpecOp and a Torabushi warrior, Seion had  
never in his life willingly allowed someone to hit his face when  
he could avoid it, nor let someone get away with it just like that.  
It hurt him no less that one such as Mihoshi, who, from all  
records and sources, was a person with almost negligible  
reserves of enmity, could muster enough of it to strike him  
thus.  
  
Although Ryoko sensed something was odd, Mihoshi did not.  
Her hand flailed out a few more times, and given Seion's frame  
and built, it was of little consequence where they struck at first,  
but then Mihoshi balled her fist, yet still Seion stayed there  
unflinchingly, his expression almost as one who had been  
turned to stone, taking a few more blows, before Mihoshi  
subsided. It was hard to tell what was going on in Seion's mind  
as she raised her face from the pillows once more, but if the  
action certainly did not register any strong emotion on Seion's  
face.  
  
"Go away…" Mihoshi mumbled. "…please."   
  
The only reply was the feeling of his hand, which had been  
frozen there as she had struck out, reanimating, gently  
stroking and patting her shoulder, and the silence in the room  
was almost overwhelming, for Mihoshi's sobbing had  
subsided too, as if she too were holding her breath.   
  
It was with mounting trepidation that Ryoko realised she felt  
like she should leave, like she had intruded into a temple that  
was sanctified and should go, which gave the place an odd  
feeling of gravity, even though it included Mihoshi, the person  
one would least associate with gravity.  
  
I'm growing soft, Ryoko thought to herself, as she thought of  
the places she had happily barged into from what seemed like  
eons ago.  
  
No, she realised. It's just that… I've learnt how to love.  
  
"I…" Mihoshi started, breaking the silence. "…hope I didn't  
hurt you."  
  
"You didn't," he answered, his heart within him smiling  
gratefully, as his large hand, seeming almost capable of  
crushing Mihoshi's shoulder, gently drew itself up from where  
it had been, and there was a twitch from the detective, making  
it seem almost as if the blonde would turn around to stop him  
from going, but she didn't move. Instead she relaxed, as  
though she would fall limply down on the bed, like she was a  
person whose soul had just left, drawn out by his last lingering  
touch, and for a moment Ryoko thought she could leave at  
last, but something told her not to go, something that told her  
just in case she would want to learn from these two. Oddly,  
though her normal senses would have been to stay in case  
Seion tried to hurt Mihoshi, she felt no such anxiety, for the  
notion seemed so utterly unthinkable.  
  
Then he added, "And I'm not going."  
  
There was a sharp intake of breath, and Ryoko saw Mihoshi  
tense up once more to a closer semblance of life, before going,  
weaker this time... "Go away…"  
  
Silence, once more.  
  
"I… I…" Mihoshi tried to think, but her mind was too hazed up.  
"I'll hit you!" She suddenly reared up and turned to face Seion,  
another pillow in her grasp, poised to lash out at Seion, her  
blue eyes blazing an odd tint of sparkling emotions, with fury  
and sorrow clashing within its cerulean depths against  
gratefulness and love.  
  
"Hit, then." Seion moved a little closer to her.  
  
Out of desperation and confusion, fear too at him advancing  
on her, her face a mask of reluctance and pain, Mihoshi struck  
out at where it seemed it would have most effect…  
  
Seion flinched, his brows knitting as the force of the pillow,  
followed by that Mihoshi's fist through the stuffing, struck into  
his bandage near his stomach, and this time he could feel  
some blood ebbing out again from within.  
  
Ryoko and Mihoshi both gaped as he smiled back at the  
blonde, a smile full of pain, like he had just been shot through,  
yet a smile nevertheless.  
  
"If that's all it takes to make you feel better…" he whispered,  
painfully. "It's a bargain I'll take."  
  
Mihoshi watched his sincere green eyes, somewhat misted  
with pain, watched the red on the bandage soak a deeper  
crimson, then with a choked cry, let the pillow fall back down  
on her bed, and she buried her head into her knees, crying  
softly to herself, to the worried and concern gazes from both  
Ryoko and Seion. "Why don't you just go!!?"  
  
"I'm not going away." His voice announced, resolutely. "I'm  
staying so I can be here for you. If no one else will share your  
misery, if no one else will hear your cry… I will. If no one else  
will listen to your fears, know the pain that you feel, I will." He  
reached out for her again, his hand gently running through her  
golden hair. "I *want* to be here…" Mihoshi trembled slightly to  
his touch. "… for you."  
  
That was the last thing Ryoko remembered seeing and hearing  
before the urge to leave this place finally overwhelmed her…  
  
Oh Tenchi…   
  
====================================  
  
Earlier too…  
  
"Aeka?" Tenchi asked worried. The princess had lain back  
slightly into the bed and rested herself as Ryoko had vanished,  
almost too at ease with her closed eyes facing a spot  
somewhere on the wall, close to the ceiling. "You okay?"  
  
"I don't feel like myself, Tenchi." She whispered. "It's like  
something else came to me… and I'm not completely myself."  
A gentle smile lighted off her face. "But I can't say it's a feeling I  
dislike."  
  
Tenchi blinked, and somehow Aeka seemed to sense it without  
even regarding him.  
  
"Tenchi… part of me feels embarrassed, sorry, that I should be  
resting on your bed, that I have dirtied your clean sheets and  
kept you from getting a good night's rest, and I should  
apologise." She seem to radiate some form of brilliance, that in  
Tenchi's mind it lighted up the room. "But I think we both know  
it's understood… and I just want to let you know I never take  
you for granted."  
  
"Thank… you," Tenchi stuttered, confused. "Err… no I mean  
you're welcome!"  
  
She chuckled softly, and there was no telling how much  
Tenchi was relieved by that simple gesture, for it seemed as if  
she were human once again rather than an untouchable angel  
resting there, waiting to take wing and return to the heavens.  
"You brought me somewhere Tenchi… there was a garden,  
wasn't there?" His jaw dropped. Even in his vision, Aeka had  
been unconscious when he took her there. "I've been there  
before… it's where all the trees that are the source of Juraian  
power live, a beautiful, beautiful place."   
  
"Yes, it was…" Tenchi thought hesitantly, for only at this  
moment had he realised the majestic splendour he had gone  
through. The shimmering fields that shone like emerald gems,  
the flowers that each shone like a miniature star, all had been  
lost on him in his fear for Aeka… oh yes, and the trees. There  
was no way to describe them. They seemed the most ordinary  
of all in the garden, yet at once the most exquisite and  
extraordinary, perhaps simply because they seemed so out of  
place surrounded by such beauty, and perhaps also because  
their thick buttresses had segments and lines drawn  
immaculately yet textured softly with bark, with sparkled  
rainbow dew running down over just visible varicose veins of  
the leaves that seemed to pulse with warmth and life.  
  
"You brought me to someone… I wasn't awake then, but she  
sensed something, when I asked her if I was hurt beyond  
seeing you again, and this was her answer." There was a slight  
pause, almost unnoticeable, and somehow it seemed to Tenchi  
that Aeka was taking a deep breath, though she couldn't have,  
given the time span of the pause and her physical condition.  
"You will see him again, but I can't heal all your hurts myself…  
when you next see him, I'll be with you for a moment. I can only  
help slightly, and he will have to heal the rest of you…"  
  
"But… but… I'm no healer!" Tenchi exclaimed.  
  
"She said you needed to heal… my heart." Aeka's smile faded  
away, and the light on her glimmered. "I'd like to apologise to  
you, Tenchi… for both of us."  
  
"Both of *us*?"  
  
Aeka gave a sigh, and the sudden glimmering of the light  
contrasted the girl he saw sharply against herself, like at one  
moment she was in the dark, then in the light, one moment frail,  
another moment strong… "We couldn't help it… falling for  
you." There was a soft sigh. "Perhaps if only one of us did…  
you might be a happier Tenchi than you are now."  
  
"What!?" His brown eyes widened. "Who?"  
  
Aeka bit her lip, and her eyelids quivered as if she would open  
them, but she restrained herself. "Ryoko," her voice seemed  
reluctant. "… and me."  
  
She's… speaking for Ryoko!?  
  
"I'm beginning to see how, for all three of us, that must have  
been the sweetest mistake of our lives…" There was a soft, yet  
wistful smile. "Sometimes I wish it would be better, but when I  
look back… I realise I'd do it all over again." She exhaled a  
little, letting her breath slip out of her lips, and drawing part of  
her soul out into the open. "It's a stab I would take again… and  
perhaps it made me stronger… and made me more human."   
  
There was a moment of silence, as the thoughts sank in ever  
so slowly into Tenchi's mind. There was no doubt he was  
shocked that Aeka would reveal something so intimate to him,  
the first time she ever opened up so completely about herself,  
yet something, possibly the serene yet troubled expression on  
her face, allowed the gentle emotions elicited within his heart  
to be voiced. "So would I… Aeka. So would I."  
  
"I know, Tenchi," Aeka nodded. "And… so would Ryoko." She  
opened her eyes, and finally turned to look at Tenchi, who was  
looking upon her with something akin to utter incredulity. "  
  
He licked his lips, finally, subsiding. "Aeka… I don't mean to  
sound selfish or anything…"  
  
"It's okay," the princess replied gently. "They say the best  
medicine tends to be bitter…"  
  
"No, it's not anything like that." Tenchi sighed. "Sometimes, I  
just wish you could always be like that, and stay this way…"  
he blinked in surprise. "No, *what* am I saying!? I don't mean  
bedrid…"  
  
"I know what you mean, Tenchi," she interrupted him. "To be  
able to think and feel for Ryoko, right?"  
  
He nodded dumbly, and though there was no outward  
appearance of sorrow or anything, he sensed he had  
somehow hurt Aeka in a way.  
  
"She may never know, Tenchi, but she means a lot to me,"  
Aeka whispered. "I might never have known too, except…  
things happen. And you start learning more about yourself  
than you ever wanted to…"  
  
Tenchi bowed his head slightly. "You were upset, back then,  
right?"  
  
"I was, Tenchi."  
  
He sighed, almost angrily at himself. "It was my fault… I  
practically ignored you! And it was for my sake that you…"  
  
"NO." Her voice rose, gaining a determined edge, and Tenchi  
suddenly could imagine Aeka, queen of Jurai, giving  
commands to her very last breath… her outward delicacy hid  
tempered steel that would show in the worst moments. "It was  
not just for you. I thought at the time it was… but I was wrong."  
Her voice lowered. "It was for myself too."  
  
"Oh," he answered lamely, for lack of something better to say.  
  
"Are we both… very alike, Tenchi?"  
  
He might once have been surprised princess Aeka would ever  
stoop to comparing herself with pirate Ryoko, and asking for a  
frank opinion that might prove a rude awakening. For a  
moment his mind filled with the countless occasions they had  
seemed the same to him, then he reminded himself, how  
different the way they carried themselves, the things they did,  
the things they liked to do and, "No… not really, I suppose…"  
  
Aeka looked around pensively, before staring at her body,  
resting on the bed. "Tell me, Tenchi… who do you love more?"  
  
That was so unexpected, he was so totally unprepared, he  
just… stopped. He wasn't sure what it was, but it seemed he  
stopped breathing, he stopped seeing Aeka there on the bed.  
All he could make out was her words, her 'who do you love  
more?' It was a good while before he could muster enough will  
to say what he had told himself he would always say if  
confronted with this question. "Neither of you," he whispered.  
"And both of you."  
  
Aeka nodded, and if Tenchi were less in tune with his fears and  
emotions, he might have been badly disconcerted to note her  
expression was serene, almost clinically detached. "I thought  
so," he heard her say, and for a moment he wondered if she  
was going to burst out into tears of sorrow or clam back up  
into her marble maiden act. "Your heart is the wisest, Tenchi."   
  
He blinked once, then again, then tried blinking once again to  
make sure.  
  
"Deep down inside… you see us for who we are…" Aeka  
smiled. "And we are very alike, aren't we? Almost like  
sisters…" There was no reply from the boy, who was currently  
trying to untangle what felt like a knot somewhere between his  
mind and his mouth, unsuccessfully. Perhaps it was because  
too much of his mind was paying attention to his ears. "That's  
why you love us both equally."  
  
Tenchi might have looked surprised, or he might not have. It  
was hard to tell at times, when one was distracted with things  
such as listening to Aeka and trying to get un-tongue-tied.  
  
OH! I never thought of it that way before.  
  
"It's okay, really, I can't blame you for it…" she sank back  
down onto the bed, into the pillows. "Blame someone for  
having a big heart? They say a ruler must be able to love all her  
people… so how could I possibly grudge you loving two?"  
  
Suddenly he felt bad. Very bad. Aeka was making it sound so  
good he felt so guilty…  
  
"And… it's a good feeling. It makes me almost feel like I could  
fly away sometimes, fly up into the ethers, to dance within the  
garden back on Jurai with her… it makes me feel less selfish,  
more pure and free, and happy…" she mused, almost dreamily.  
"That I can have Aeka and Ryoko in my heart too… that much  
as I want myself, Aeka, to be happy, like all selfish humans do, I  
can care for Ryoko too…"   
  
Tenchi swallowed. He suddenly felt very very small, like he  
was an insect in the presence of a goddess…  
  
"Sasami… she knew all along, didn't she? What it was like to  
love everyone around her? Now that's a true princess…" A  
brief release of resignation. "It's hard, but it feels good, in a  
way… I wonder, do you think Ryoko would ever find her way  
to this stage?"  
  
Though technically addressed to Tenchi, he didn't quite feel  
like answering. Aeka's eyes were staring at the ceiling, and it  
seemed almost rhetorical.  
  
"And if she did, would she like it?"  
  
"Princess, you make me *soooooooo* jealous at times, you  
know *that*?"  
  
Tenchi nearly jumped out of his skin at hearing her voice.  
"Ryoko!" as the space pirate sauntered, almost as if  
catwalking, through the closed door.  
  
"Really, Ryoko?" Aeka laughed, her voice stronger, as she sat  
up to face the 'intruder.' "That's a good thing to hear from  
you." She winked at Ryoko, a gesture that shocked Tenchi so  
much he stumbled back, coincidentally backing away so there  
was a clear line of sight from Aeka on the bed to Ryoko at the  
door, a hand poised saucily on her hip.   
  
"You're damned lucky, princess," Ryoko retorted.   
  
"I know," Aeka almost purred to herself. "But it wasn't easy  
getting there."  
  
"And even harder to have someone like me in your boat."  
Ryoko took another step closer to Aeka.  
  
"So how long have you been listening?" Aeka replied  
confidently, notwithstanding her semi-incapacitated state.  
  
"Heh, long enough to just miss hearing any juicy fantasies you  
might have been trying to share with Tenchi, ne, princess?"  
Ryoko flashed a grin at Aeka, before glancing at Tenchi, who  
gave her a shocked look. The space pirate pouted a little at  
seeing Tenchi's expression, realising this was not going to be  
as fun as she had anticipated. "Okay, so yeah, it was serious  
stuff." She gave Aeka an odd, almost assessing look. "Sheesh,  
to think anyone, much less someone like you, could possibly  
think like that." While it seemed to be spoken with disdain,  
Tenchi was nonplussed to hear respect within Ryoko's voice.  
  
The princess smiled. "Well, once upon a time, I would have  
been hard pressed to believe someone like *you*," the word  
was emphasised like a disgusting nasal spit, atypical of the  
way Aeka addressed Ryoko once upon a time. "…could even  
begin to comprehend finer feelings."  
  
"Hey, hey, I'm a woman too, you know," Ryoko arched an  
eyebrow as her sultry reply ended.   
  
Tenchi found himself hard pressed to believe his ears, for they  
were both acting like they were alone in his room, and talking  
like they were… old friends… fellow conspirators…  
  
As if to dispel that thought, Ryoko chose that precise moment  
to grin at him. "Oh, and especially Tenchi, I'm sure you know  
how much of a woman I am, don't you, hmmm?" she swivelled  
her hip at him, and Aeka's expression darkened as Tenchi  
teardropped.  
  
"All right, you can stop pretending, I know where you stand  
with lord Tenchi." Aeka snorted.  
  
"Heh, you don't know men well enough, princess," Ryoko  
smiled. "There are things husbands don't tell their wives…"  
  
"Why thank you, Ryoko," Aeka smiled sweetly at her. "I'm glad  
you'd bless me for going that far…"  
  
Ryoko blinked, as she realised she had inadvertently went  
pro-Aeka for a moment. "All right, all right already!" She  
growled, a little irritated. "Right, so I do care!"  
  
"That's really very nice, Ryoko," Aeka beamed, somewhere  
between patronising and encouraging. "Tenchi would really  
like that…" She cast a wistful look from Ryoko to Tenchi, and  
Ryoko swallowed as she got her message.  
  
"We're both still a long way from that, Aeka." Ryoko gave a  
sidelong glance at Tenchi too.  
  
"Yeah…" the princess sighed. "But is *that* what we really  
want?" Her voice quavered as she lowered her eyes to the  
blanket, away from Ryoko.  
  
Would someone please tell me what the hell are they talking  
about!? Tenchi almost screamed.  
  
Ryoko shook her head, her frame trembling, but nevertheless  
she forced a reply. "Tenchi would like it." Then came a bitter  
smirk that seemed more like a inward stab. "We don't have a  
choice, do we?" She brought her hand up gingerly as she  
lowered her eyes to look at it, and a lock of cyan fell over her  
shoulder, but even then Tenchi could see her laboured  
breathing, and spot the tiniest sparkle as a droplet of  
something fell into her shaking hand.   
  
"We don't have a choice," Aeka whispered, still visibly shaken,  
but compared to Ryoko, many many times more in control of  
herself.  
  
Tenchi's eyes widened as he saw orange sparks start to form  
up around Ryoko's hand. "So much power, princess, so much  
power…" Quickly he turned to see if Aeka had noticed, but if  
she did, there was no indication of her having done so.  
"But…" The orange energy started forming up within the room,  
and though small, it visibly increasing the light level.   
  
Within Ryoko, burning images, of Kova stepping out of the  
portal carrying Kiyone as he saw her burn in the escape  
capsule… and most recently, of Seion, of the words he spoke  
to Mihoshi, of the feelings she read running within his veins,  
and she felt her heart tighten and clench in paroxysms of  
envious jealousy she thought she might have been able to  
hold back…  
  
Ryoko's frame wavered, seeming almost to fall, but the orange  
energy increased in intensity, and though Aeka seemed  
unconcerned, Tenchi jumped to his feet, even if inside he was  
unsure if he should catch Ryoko or prepare to draw  
Tenchi-ken lest she unleash her power.  
  
"…for *what*!?" She hissed. "I can't even get that which is  
most important to me…" The orange glow faded away, even as  
the princess replied.  
  
"Nor can I, Ryoko," her voice was even, in control, but not  
completely so. "And I am princess… no… crown princess… of  
the planet Jurai." The princess sounded amused, almost  
sardonic. "The planet Jurai… with my countless citizens… my  
countless happy citizens… yet what am I?" Then she steeled  
herself, and looked up as Ryoko mustered her resolve to do  
the same. "Let's face it." Violet eyes met amber pupils once  
more, as their gazes met. "Neither of us would ever kill each  
other."  
  
Ryoko nodded. "Or… let the other die."  
  
"I don't think we even hate each other's company like we used  
to…" Aeka whispered.   
  
"Well," the space pirate smirked bitterly, not at Aeka, but at  
herself. "So miracles can actually happen…"  
  
"And it seems we can only hope for more…" Aeka's eyes  
wandered elsewhere, to a certain corner of the room. "Or  
perhaps we can make one of our own…"  
  
There was an odd shimmer of amethyst, shining brightly  
across, that seemed to ripple across the surface of Aeka's  
eyes, so that not only did Tenchi start from his stupor, even  
Ryoko was roused from her pensiveness, and their gazes  
converged on the place Aeka was staring at.   
  
It was the box, the gift repaired by Washu, sitting almost  
serenely in its little corner of the room.  
  
"Ryoko?" Aeka asked softly.  
  
She didn't have to say more than that, before Ryoko's fingers  
had slid the catch back, causing the box to be flicked back  
open by the mechanism within, and once again, the two crystal  
doves gently circled upwards, seemingly winging their way out  
of the box, to the sound of soft tinkling music and wafting  
fragrance, before settling to a halt facing Ryoko. It might have  
been his imagination, but it seemed to Tenchi that the silver  
locket with his name on seemed to shine exceptionally  
brightly…  
  
Aeka… Ryoko… Tenchi.  
  
His eyes flitted from the three sets of words embedded within  
the objects, and he realised he didn't really know what he was  
thinking, except that he felt a warm, calming feeling steal over  
him, to the time of the soft gentle music, and the fragrance  
made him think of cherry blossoms, of trees, and from there a  
garden, and oh the majesty…  
  
"Tenchi?" Ryoko asked, in surprise, as the boy was suddenly  
standing by her side, but he seemed not to notice her. A soft  
voice within him was calling, whispering, guiding…  
  
He will have to heal… the rest of you.  
  
He could almost see her, the wispy ethereal lady from the  
vision, whispering that to him, guiding him gently on, and he  
realised that all along, Aeka had always been speaking for both  
of them…  
  
Ryoko actually found herself at a complete loss as Tenchi  
reached down and gently slipped off, with each hand, the band  
of purple and cyan hair around the neck of each dove,  
intertwined together, and Aeka and Ryoko both felt their hearts  
skip a beat…  
  
He's going to offer it to one of us!  
  
Tenchi blinked.  
  
What?  
  
He looked down at the two wristbands in either hand.  
  
Huh? Yeah sure I know what I did but why did I…?  
  
Someone was looking directly, at him, and his eyes rove  
slightly down to see Ryoko staring at him, wide-eyed. He didn't  
have to look to know Aeka was sitting up slightly in her bed.  
  
"Tenchi?" Ryoko reiterated, but this time rather than in  
surprise, it was in questioning, almost pleading. Perhaps she  
knew she shouldn't be doing this, but the idea of getting  
Tenchi to bind his pledge to her was too much for her, and she  
reached out a hand…  
  
Aeka bit her lip as Tenchi, his hands dumbly open, watched, as  
if dazed, as Ryoko's right hand slipped into his left, and after  
savouring the feel of his skin on hers, Ryoko drew back, and  
Tenchi's hand was empty.  
  
Oh… the pain…  
  
He let her!  
  
That could have been me! If I could but…  
  
It's all over now…  
  
As Ryoko, smiling softly at the seemingly stunned Tenchi,  
prepared to put on the wrist band, the light caught off the  
object, shining off intertwined hairs…  
  
They might have been separate once, but they were together  
now.  
  
Cyan and amethyst.  
  
Ryoko paused, and Aeka realised she wasn't breathing. She  
wasn't sure why. Maybe she had been hoping Tenchi would  
stop Ryoko, or that he would snatch both bands back and  
place them back around the doves, she wasn't sure. All she  
knew was that her original intention was to give a band to  
Tenchi, and keep one for herself, but she found herself hoping,  
for something to happen…  
  
No, Tenchi would never do any of that.   
  
Then what is it I am hoping for?  
  
Bowing her head in indecision, Ryoko suddenly lay her other  
hand on Tenchi's right.  
  
"Huh?" Tenchi briefly glimpsed Ryoko smiling weakly, sadly,  
back at him, then she slowly faded into nothingness right  
before his eyes… "Ryoko!" He reached forward, but she was  
no longer there, and both his hands were empty now…  
  
"For you." Was all that could be made out, and Tenchi spun  
around, only to see Ryoko sitting by Aeka, in the chair he had  
fallen asleep in.   
  
"Ryoko?" Tenchi whispered.  
  
There was a moment of silence, as Aeka contemplated what  
she held in her hand, light glimmering off the surfaces of the  
band, then she relaxed, leaning back down onto the pillows.  
The pain returned, the pain from her injury that she had  
ignored as she sat up, the pain from that exertion, but she  
found somehow it was lessened… "Thank you…" Her gaze  
met that of her rival's, the softness a sweet expression of  
gratitude, and Ryoko's strangely pained yet glad expression  
strengthened, then she bowed her head, biting her lip, and  
Aeka, not wishing to see her that way, looked away too.  
  
Getting over his initial shock, Tenchi treaded over, somewhat  
gingerly, and they both looked up to regard him. "Erm… you  
both all right?"  
  
Aeka and Ryoko both closed their eyes and took a deep  
breath, letting the gentle fragrance filling the room calm them  
and ease their fears and anxieties for the moment…  
  
"We're fine." They both said, opening their eyes as one.  
  
Tenchi teardropped, as he looked at both of them. Ryoko  
leaned back in the chair as Aeka relaxed even more.  
  
Perhaps this was meant to be?  
  
The light shone off either wristband, one around Ryoko's right  
wrist, the other around Aeka's, each representing a union…  
  
Oh…  
  
Then, though he knew not why, he smiled.  
  
Yes, perhaps it was.  
  
====================================  
  
She opened one eye just very slightly, looked around carefully  
to see that she was still in the same room, checking that there  
was no one around, and then, smiling slightly at having had an  
undisturbed night's rest, sat up, yawning, and stretched.   
  
Heh, it's been a while since I've slept till so late.  
  
Which was true. Mitsuki was a light sleeper, for obvious  
reasons. She needed to snatch rest sometimes on missions,  
but might be woken up on a moment's notice. It did not help  
that she was now on an assignment, and that her quarry was  
nearby, but she gave herself the leisure. Much as she wanted  
to take on the criminal, it was foolish initiative, when there was  
no Seion or Kiyone around, to wake up early and try finding  
him. If she were spotted by the fellow she might well be  
finished, and she knew it, so she reasoned if SpecOp 231 or  
Kiyone showed up saying they've got a lead on the fellow, all  
fine and well, but if not, she could just try to sleep in a little  
later.  
  
There was a nagging unease as she washed her face, which  
was caused by something else apart from the pathetic stream  
of water and the lack of heating system, and she pondered it  
as she made for the door to Tenchi's house…  
  
First there was Mihoshi. Mitsuki had once left her out of the big  
picture, but ever since the time Mihoshi flew the Yagami to  
burst the corridor in the GP HQ and allow Kiyone to escape  
from Mitsuki's clutches last year, there was some underlying  
respect for Mihoshi. Perhaps not really respect, but more fear.  
Mitsuki liked to take everything into account, but Mihoshi  
seemed not to fit in properly anywhere, and she feared that  
card as a poker player might fear a joker. Sure, she was a  
ditz… but she got by somehow. And as that episode showed,  
not just getting by through Kiyone's skills and ability, but also  
holding her own too. That Seion obviously liked Mihoshi made  
her no less tricky to handle, yet if she remembered correctly  
her time on Midorishu, most of the Operative questions were  
about Kiyone, and he did seem to like her too. Then there was  
when Mihoshi did not want to go with them to capture the  
criminal. It was odd… almost as though she felt Kiyone was  
safe.  
  
That Kiyone had gone alone to find the criminal reinforced this  
thought. Kiyone had never been one for negotiations. If what  
she saw was correct, Kiyone certainly knew she was no match  
for the rogue, and it would have been entirely reasonable to  
take Tenchi, Yosho, Aeka, Ryoko, along… maybe even  
Mihoshi… yet she didn't.   
  
Then there was that utterly ridiculous and impossible way  
Kiyone had thrown her captor off. Even with the greatest of  
imagination, Kiyone should have been killed on the spot, yet  
she had survived. That could only mean one thing - that  
Kashiro fellow must have wished to keep her alive…  
  
Her brow furrowed. She remembered Kiyone fighting in front  
of her against the man, slamming her heel into his chin, trying  
to knock him out with a neck chop from behind… she also  
dived in immediately after Seion without thinking, so she  
couldn't possibly like the person…  
  
Mitsuki shook her head.  
  
I'm growing old, I'm forgetting even what I know of a person  
like Kiyone, and in fact, of most of us GP graduates. If the odds  
are okay, we try to save a team member. Expected obligation.   
  
Then the bath. That was just… inexplicable. I got the  
impression she was trying to get me away… but there didn't  
seem to be anyone in there, yet Washu and her talked about  
meeting him…  
  
She smiled as she stepped into Tenchi's house, where the  
atmosphere seemed more pleasant and airy, both because of  
more windows and the country side.  
  
Ah well, lesson number thirteen at the Academy was never to  
come to conclusions based on too few facts, but wait for more  
evidence to present itself. Besides, my puzzle is almost fully  
set up… one or two more pieces should clinch it.   
  
She hummed a tune as she paused before the bath, and  
almost lightheartedly moved her fingers behind her chest to  
unbutton her, or rather, Kiyone's dress. She had picked one of  
those long dresses with buttons reminiscent of the GP  
function dresses, that Kiyone must have got when she first  
came here, but the green-haired detective had since found  
other alternatives.  
  
She allowed herself a smile as she thought of the bath. It was  
hard not to be sunny in the face of looking forward to it. There  
had been lesson number thirty five, that said if evidence was  
insufficient, relax your mind in meantime. Mitsuki had ceased  
bothering with it the instant she graduated, what with thinking  
and trying to find ways to scale the promotional ladder faster,  
which meant putting your minds on some hard cases  
belonging to other cops, quickly getting a solution and  
claiming credit, yet she found herself inadvertently applying it  
as she put her hand on the handle and slid the door open…  
  
"Oh!?" She blinked.  
  
"Good morning," the brown, slightly wrinkled face smiled back  
at her in serene composure, yet with a touch of mischief, as he  
too withdrew his hand from the handle of the door. "Would you  
like to use the bathroom, lady?"  
  
"What?" Quickly, she composed herself. "Yes please, thank  
you, sir."  
  
Katsuhito stepped aside, and Mitsuki blinked as she saw what  
she was looking at. "This isn't the bathroom I want!"  
  
"Oh?" Katsuhito smiled, stepping out from around her. "It's the  
certainly the only bathroom in this house…" So saying, he  
stepped past her, somehow, though in Mitsuki's opinion she  
certainly seemed to be blocking the entrance to the bath, and  
walked leisurely past her, mumbling half to herself and half to  
himself. "Really must speak to Tenchi, bringing so many  
people into the house without even the courtesy to introduce  
them…"  
  
Mitsuki stared after the old man as he descended down the  
stairs, clad in his odd shinto priest outfit, before staring back at  
the bath.   
  
Yes… how could that magnificent bath ever have fitted in  
here?  
  
Reluctantly, she closed the bathroom door, and turned to go  
downstairs.  
  
No, it's Washu we're talking about here, and she just might…  
  
Just as she was about to turn back to try again, she heard  
something.  
  
"Aeka?" she heard someone cry, a high pitched cry of  
dismayed surprise. "*AEKA*! What happened!?"  
  
Curiosity innate to most successful detectives brought Mitsuki  
over to the side of the stairs, and she bent to peer between the  
railings at the scene below her, only to see Sasami rushing out  
of the kitchen towards where the two girls stood together.   
  
"I'm fine, Sasami," Aeka attempted to force a smile, and failed  
most dismally, as she tried to stand up again, only to be falter  
and nearly fall forwards, except that Ryoko grabbed the back  
of her collar, and though she did so a little gingerly and with a  
somewhat distasteful look on her face, it was clear to see there  
was no ill intention in her action. If Mitsuki was any judge, more  
like… embarrassment. Aeka too, quickly regained her balance,  
but now the detective could make out that her face looked  
somewhat pale and worn, and while she was clearly weak,  
Ryoko stood close by her, almost like a guardian. The  
princess' hand went to her own midsection, and then she bit  
her lip trying to cease the natural impulse, but already her  
sister had seen through it.  
  
"No you're not!" Sasami ran to her side, supporting her. "How  
did you get hurt, Aeka? Is it very bad?"  
  
"It is nothing," Aeka smiled at her sister, but her forced mirth  
was wracked with pain.  
  
"There wasn't only one casualty last night, Sasami," Ryoko  
muttered morosely, as Aeka gave her a glare of disapproval.  
  
Sasami looked from Aeka to Ryoko, then… "Tenchi's fine, isn't  
he?"  
  
"Yeah," the space pirate replied.  
  
"He should be brushing his teeth about now…" Aeka added.  
  
The little princess looked in surprise from her sister to Ryoko,  
then up the stairs.   
  
For a moment, the young princess was torn between fussing  
over her sister the way she should and normally did, making  
sure she was all right, but there was the alternative… and  
besides, Tenchi apparently didn't mind…  
  
Something tugged lightly at her skirt, and she looked down  
into Anako's eyes. The kitten had apparently been sleeping all  
alone in Aeka's room, and now that she was awake, she had  
naturally went to find her mistress… but Sasami was no Aeka.  
  
Anako mewed softly, and her eyes seemed to glimmer with  
strange depths.  
  
Turning from the kitten in surprise, Sasami inadvertently  
glanced at Ryoko again.  
  
The same catlike eyes… but so different. One giving, one  
taking…  
  
And where do I belong?  
  
At that moment, Aeka flashed a quick smile at her sister. It was  
neither the sheepish nervousness of one who was asking be  
left alone, nor the forced façade of one who was trying to hide  
pain and say everything was fine. It was a simple expression  
that merely said this was the way she would have things, and  
for that, she was glad.  
  
The light from the two violet-cyan bands around their wrists  
caught in her eye, and Sasami took a step back, half in  
surprise, and half in surrender.  
  
"I think I'll go lay the table then get some breakfast for  
Kiyone…" she ended the sentence haltingly, then, her eyes  
flashing a moment of apprehension, hurried away from them  
back into kitchen, trailed by Anako, who waved a paw  
cheerfully at Aeka, before gambolling away after the little  
princess.  
  
Ryoko blinked. In that brief moment, she didn't even get time to  
note hers and Sasami's eyes had met, until this moment as the  
princess was vanishing into the kitchen, and the gaze…  
somehow warningly, as though Ryoko was being told 'you  
had better take good care of her or else…', yet also hopefully,  
though hoping for what, Ryoko had no idea.  
  
====================================  
  
"Thank you, Sasami…" Kiyone whispered softly, flashing a  
brief smile, as she accepted the bowl from the little princess,  
before turning back to tend to her beloved once again.   
  
Sasami watched them for a while, an odd, wistful expression  
on her face, for long though she had known Kiyone, it was still  
new to her, the glimpses of her tender side that were rarely  
shown. Only on the rare few occasions such as during the few  
milliseconds when entering unannounced into Kiyone's flat at  
night, while the detective was still not cognisant of one's  
presence, could one hope to catch but the barest, fleeting  
glances of that secret side to Kiyone. While the green-haired  
lady never moved suddenly or tried furtively to pretend that  
she was not pulling the covers back over Mihoshi, such as  
Aeka might do if caught trying to sneak a message to Tenchi,  
Kiyone always gave Sasami the impression that she was  
someone who reserved exclusively for herself the knowledge  
and expression of her tenderness.   
  
In a way Sasami felt beneath her at times… everyone knew she  
was the one who cooked all the meals, who helped with the  
chores, and so she had been accorded the appropriate credit.  
Yet for Kiyone, all they ever saw was her yelling at Mihoshi,  
and perhaps the blonde might never know, only sense, the  
depth of her partner's affections for her.   
  
The little princess had her suspicions, but currently she could  
only surmise that Kiyone must have had, at some point or  
another, helped to talk to either Ryoko, Aeka or Tenchi when  
the going got tough. Certainly Washu would help too, but she  
tended to be a lot less accommodating and considerate of  
individual emotions, while Kiyone was more down-to-earth, in  
a way.  
  
Gentle waves of pleasure radiated from Sasami, lighting up her  
face as she watched…  
  
Perhaps, at the end of it all, it was fair. Trust that it would take  
someone like Kova to make Kiyone's beauty shine through  
more vividly, just like darkness would make light seem to shine  
more brilliantly…  
  
You're very lucky, she thought, as she watched Kova gingerly,  
but definitely happily, taking his breakfast via Kiyone's  
attentions.   
  
In days to come, perhaps you will be the one that Kiyone can,  
and will always, show her true self to.  
  
A thought struck her. Perhaps it was only a fancy, but then  
again… no.  
  
Distant images… Kova, bending over Kiyone in the darkness  
of the room as she slept… of him opening the evacuation  
capsule from the Yagami on board Ryoko… Kova helping out  
with lunch…  
  
Hiding… they both are, aren't they? Perhaps that is what  
makes them alike, they both try so hard to conceal that  
sensitive inner side of them, buried deep within their souls.  
They both try to be so strong, yet they are so in need of each  
other.  
  
She regarded him intently, watching his unblinking eyes. She  
saw now, they were shining shimmering and deep pools, with  
ripples of feelings gently forming over the surface as he never,  
not even for a moment, took his eyes off Kiyone.  
  
How different, from the cold metallic steely mirrors Sasami  
herself had faced…   
  
Mirrors. That's what they were.   
  
Kiyone was his mirror, as he was hers, only unlike them, these  
let the watcher see further and more truly into themselves than  
perhaps the watcher had ever realised they could.  
  
"Sasami?"  
  
The little princess blinked, shaken out of her reverie by the  
gaze of the blue eyes looking upon her, now that he had tilted  
his face slightly to the side. Though she saw in them kindness,  
openness, trust and gratitude, they were by no means as  
expressive to her as they had been when he was watching  
Kiyone…  
  
"Yes, Kova?" she moved over by his side, level with his  
shoulders and facing him, as the spy looked away for a  
moment, lost in his thoughts, and Kiyone sat back, silently,  
covering the bowl with her hand to hopefully help a little in  
keeping breakfast warm.  
  
It was odd, in a way, but sweet, Sasami reflected to herself. She  
could easily envisage both of them being together for one  
whole day, and not have to speak at all, if the situation did not  
require such.  
  
"Sasami, I have a gift for you… your hand please."  
  
The little princess unhesitatingly stretched out her palm  
towards him, and though she did remember the earlier episode  
of how Kova had hurt her, she did not doubt his word.  
  
There was a glimpse of silver, then a flicker of darkness, before  
a little tiny metallic thing fell into her hand. Kiyone stirred from  
her stillness slightly, to see what it was, while Kova slumped  
back down. Upon closer inspection by Sasami, it was little  
more than a plain, thin silver ring, almost completely  
unadorned, except for two odd markings that probably  
denoted the top of the band. Squinting at it, Sasami quickly  
realised the words were so small she could not make them  
out…  
  
"Feel it." Kova said, answering her question before she could  
even speak.  
  
Kiyone watched as Sasami ran her finger slowly over the  
surface of the ring. "What is it?"  
  
"It's… kanji." Sasami whispered concentrating. The shallow,  
tiny markings were difficult to discern. "Earth… aged?"  
  
Kova gave a little laugh. "Close, but it is not exactly kanji. The  
characters are similar." He paused for a moment. "It's the  
second half of a four word phrase meaning, supposedly, 'as  
lasting as the heavens, as old as the earth.'"   
  
"Oh!" Sasami blinked. "Heaven… Earth… Tenchi?"  
  
"Perhaps." He smiled a secretive smile to himself that only  
Kiyone could discern from his seemingly unmoving features.  
"But no. Simply put, the phrase means eternity, and refers to  
eternal love."  
  
Kiyone arched an eyebrow slightly. She might once have  
thought she would be irked by this, but somehow that little  
smile from Kova to himself seemed to reassure her, rather  
than, as other women might think, make them more  
suspicious, though she couldn't be sure why.  
  
"Oh…" Sasami's wide pink eyes regarded the silver band with  
some amount of awe. "But why give it to me? I'm not in love  
with anyone… and where is the other ring?"  
  
"I don't know." He shook his head gently, sitting up again. "I  
never knew what happened to the other ring. All I know is that I  
pray the other person is still alive, and though it's been over a  
century and I have no cause to hope, I still do."  
  
A jolt went through Kiyone, as she felt the emotion thick in  
Kova's voice.  
  
No, he can't be referring to someone else before me. If there  
were, he would not hide the ring, but wear it himself, and he  
certainly would not give it to Sasami.  
  
"It belonged… to a very strong, but a very sad person." He  
smiled an uncertain, fragile smile at Kiyone. "A lady."  
  
"Oh?" Kiyone asked, a little alarmed, but not showing it.  
  
"Yes… she was a teacher," he sighed softly. "My teacher." His  
expression darkened to mild melancholy, causing Kiyone's  
heart to sink with his. "She taught me a lot. About many, many  
things."  
  
"You never told me about this before." Kiyone noted, almost as  
if making a passive observation, but neither Kova nor Sasami  
could miss the feeling of hurt in her voice.  
  
"It was a very long time ago, Kiyone-chan," he whispered.  
Something in his tone told her that it was something not about  
himself at all, but about different lives, about a story that  
excluded both himself and herself, a story, that was about to  
be told, for the first, and maybe, the last time.  
  
"She was blind, and her constitution was poor. Every now and  
then she'd fall ill, with a frequency that depressed even me, but  
inside, I'll swear she has the strongest bit of will anyone in this  
universe could ever have."  
  
His eyes went to a lost, far-away look, as he stepped back  
through the corridors of his memories, brushing aside the  
dusty cobwebs about the shelves, and breathing the life back  
into people and places long gone.  
  
"She never did know exactly who I was. She would be  
teaching all the kids in the school, and I'd be listening to the  
lessons from the rafters or from outside the windows. At first,  
it'd be hard to believe she was blind. Her eyes weren't dulled,  
but in fact seemed to shine at times. I was too young to notice  
this then, but looking back, I realise that for all her graces and  
occasional mirth, the sorrow never did leave her. Sometimes  
I'd follow her as she returned home, and I'd note the cane she  
used, the way she always rubbed the ring on her left hand, as if  
calling for strength on that lonely road back to her run-down  
shack. When I eventually decided to question her on her  
lessons, I employed the voice of a young boy, telling her that I  
was from a different class and had stopped by to ask as I lived  
close by. Nevertheless, it was uncanny, the way she looked at  
you as you spoke, as if she knew almost exactly where your  
face was, and her eyes were extremely expressive, the way  
they seemed to be able to look right into you."   
  
A soft smile passed over his face, like a fleeting ray, then was  
gone.  
  
"Eventually, I don't know how, she realised I was not, in fact, a  
student, but she could sense my curiosity, my hunger to learn  
more, to carve out the right road for myself… and she started  
telling me more, of things outside the classroom, of people and  
places. As I listened, I noted she seemed to have this lasting  
feeling of sorrow about her, how she always alluded to the  
more unfortunate side of life, and I pressed her for details,  
especially how she had lost her sight. In retrospect, I doubt  
she would have told me if I was her student, but she saw I was  
one feeling around for where I stood in the world. Perhaps she  
meant to move me, when she said what she did, but in those  
moments, she poured out her heart to me…"  
  
He paused, closing his eyes, his features wracked as if he  
were fighting back an invisible pain, then he pulled himself  
together again and managed to continue.  
  
"I won't go into the details of her description, but suffice to say  
she broke down as she spoke to me about *it*."  
  
There was a finality about the last word, that caused Kiyone to  
press her lip together in pain, sympathy, and anger. "So that's  
why…" the detective breathed, as if she had finally fitted  
another piece into a puzzle that was facing her.  
  
"Yes, Kiyone-chan."  
  
All Sasami could do was look at one from another in surprise.  
For while she was wise and all, she still had the privilege of  
being innocent, and all that meant to her was that something  
bad had happened to the lady…  
  
"At the end of it all, the man, if such he could still be  
considered, struck her hard, from behind, and when she got  
up, she could not see…"  
  
"End of what?" Sasami asked, unable to contain her curiosity.  
"And what about the ring?"  
  
"Well… from the fragments I could gather, someone took care  
of her after she went blind. She had never in her life seen his  
face, but he was someone kind, caring, understanding and  
warm."   
  
There was a brief, painful pause, and Kova looked uncertainly  
to Sasami.  
  
"Yet just as she was beginning to love this person, and  
consider marrying him, she… found out she was carrying a  
child."  
  
Kiyone's eyes widened in horrified understanding. "He… he  
didn't leave her, did he? What happened to the child?"  
  
Sasami blinked again. To her it seemed perfectly normal to  
have a child once you found someone you loved and had  
married, or decided to marry, that someone. How was a  
question she had not come to understanding yet.  
  
"No, he didn't. He took her in anyway."  
  
"Oh." Kiyone seemed relieved, and Kova smiled back at her.  
  
"I know it might seem odd to you, but sometimes it warms my  
heart to know that someone like me is not alone in this  
universe."  
  
"Well…" Kiyone arched an eyebrow at Kova. "I think perhaps  
you *wanted* to be like him."  
  
"Maybe." Kova replied abruptly, and for a moment the subject  
was left hanging. "Anyway they got married, and together they  
raised her daughter."  
  
Sasami sensed something funny in the statement, but before  
she could grasp it Kova brought in a point that she had been  
wondering about all along.  
  
"And this ring you hold there, was her wedding ring."  
  
"Oh?" Sasami smiled at it. "So what happened?"  
  
Kova sighed. "They were together for only a while, sadly. A  
border broke out about four years down the road, and she was  
separated from her family. Given the circumstances, I think  
they were all killed, and she was lucky to escape, but she  
doesn't believe that. She say her husband got away with the  
child… but she's just a blind woman and everything was merry  
hell at the time."  
  
"I see," Kiyone breathed, her words laced with deep empathy.  
"So… what were their names? And how did she eventually  
die?"  
  
Kova broke out into a smile, but she could see he was still  
clearly upset as he thought of her. "She always insisted on  
being called Mrs Ketsuri, even though sometimes in school her  
colleagues and students would wonder where Mr Ketsuri was.  
As for her child, she was called Minari, for the brief four years  
that she was by her side…" The blue eyes darkened as he  
thought about Kiyone's second question. "I asked her soon  
after, how did she manage to keep on going through all the  
pain she went through. She told me that… on everyone, the  
same disasters and pains might befall. She wanted to be able  
to stop people from taking the wrong road, from hurting other  
people the way she was hurt…"   
  
Then, softly, so softly they had to strain their ears to hear him.  
  
"Perhaps she needed someone to know about her… maybe I  
never should have asked. Perhaps she would have stayed  
longer…"  
  
Then just as suddenly, he continued the story, as if all was  
normal.   
  
"Anyway, not long after that she fell ill again. It was quite  
normal for her to be bedridden at times, and she usually got  
well again. It was my fault, I guess." He pressed his lips  
together. "I took her life for granted…"  
  
Catching the tremors in his voice, Kiyone quickly, but  
somehow at the same time seeming to have been doing so  
naturally, put the bowl aside and leaned forward to take his  
hand. "It's okay… it's not your fault."  
  
"It was, it was…" he whispered, brokenly. "I… didn't see it  
coming, I didn't hear her voice!"  
  
"That's not true, you *know* that's not true. You were too  
young, too young to know when a person knew her time was  
up…"  
  
"But I should have…" He trembled a while, and Kiyone gently  
ran her hand through his strands of dark hair ere he stopped.  
"We were talking, except with her bedridden, when she  
suddenly almost sat up, her eyes roving around shining ever  
so brightly… she said he was near, he was coming, and she  
tried to get up to meet him, but I could see she was in no  
condition to get up, so I asked her to describe him to me.  
Instead she pressed her ring into my hand…" There was a  
deep breath from him that seemed almost like the sigh of a  
departing soul. "I can still remember her words… 'You'll  
know… my little Nari should be about your age, and there'll be  
his ring… just show mine… bring them here…' I was so  
shocked she took off her ring, but somehow, I had to obey. So  
I raced out, searching anxiously, for a man and a blue-haired  
girl, but I simply could not…" he lay his head back upon the  
pillow in grief. "…and when I got back… she was gone."  
  
Sasami looked at Kova, tears in her eyes, and looked at the  
ring once more. "I… I understand." Gingerly, almost reverently,  
she put the ring on. It was a little loose, but it held. "But if you  
want me to know the joys she never could have known… why  
not keep it yourself?"  
  
Kova turned to face Sasami, his eyes shining oddly, and  
Kiyone felt his hands clasp hers tightly. "I'm…not very sure  
about us." Kiyone's expression tightened too. "But I just have  
this feeling that even if none of us pull through… you will." His  
look became wistful and far away. "Besides I think she meant  
to save something for someone, someone who will have the  
ring, someone who will live on no matter what, and so she  
gave it to me. Even though… she never did know my name."  
  
"Thank you, Kova," Sasami smiled sweetly, and though she  
was as kawaii as ever, she seemed at once wise and  
comforting, and Kova's heart skipped a beat as he thought he  
might have seen just the vestige of that face from so long, so  
long ago… "But don't worry, everything will be fine…"  
  
For a reply, Kova nodded tersely, and notwithstanding his  
pain, leaned to one side so he could wrap an arm around  
Kiyone's waist. Kiyone bowed her head, moving closer so  
Kova would not have to strain himself, and let her hand run  
through his hair again, and her fingers gently traced the outline  
of his face.  
  
"Have faith." The little princess nodded, and Kiyone smiled  
weakly.  
  
Side by side, they watched together as a brief window of light  
opened once more into the lab, ere their little princess  
vanished through it, then all was darkness again.  
  
======BREAK======  
  
Well… I never thought I'd see the day…  
  
She could not help thinking from where she looked out upon  
the scene before her.. It was a facet of her old friend that she  
had never seen before, the way she tenderly attended to the  
person on the examination table, almost like… he was her own  
child…  
  
For a moment a pang of remorsefulness struck her, but it  
almost immediately evaporated into nothingness. Such  
incidents were nothing new, for this was not the first time  
circumstances had brought her into direct opposition with an  
old friend, and even though they had known each other for a  
good while already, there was still this thrill, this high of being  
on the verge of making a break into a great rewarding case,  
that generally overrode whatever regrets or indecisions that  
might otherwise be factored in.  
  
"Hey!" her colleague exclaimed, indignant, shattering the  
image of peaceful serenity. "I told you… don't sit up!"  
  
"But… I'm fine! Honest!" Mitsuki's brows furrowed in  
puzzlement as she realised the voice was quite, if not totally,  
different from that of the one she heard in the alleyway by the  
riverside, for it sounded for all the world like that of a  
prepubescent boy. "Come on!"  
  
Mom, she thought almost instinctively. It did seem like that  
would be the word spoken after that statement.  
  
"No, absolutely not! Lie down you! And quit using that voice  
on me, god knows I'm feeling old enough already  
sometimes…"  
  
"Well, I can feed myself." Mitsuki blinked again as she realised  
the voice had sunk, and now sounded like a gentleman's  
voice, just barely recognisable as that of the man she, Seion  
and Kiyone had fought with yesterday night. "Honest, I'll  
manage…"  
  
"No no no! Sheesh, I'd hate to be your mom." A brief pause, as  
if to draw in breath from another inaudible sigh. "If you had  
one, that is."  
  
"Heh, mothers are optional here. You're certainly more than  
enough for me to handle… though I'd love to see you a mom  
sometime."  
  
Mitsuki couldn't be quite certain, but she thought she might  
have made out a tinge of rose on the detective's face.  
  
"THAT does it! I told you, cut that out! Or no breakfast!"  
  
There was a brief silence, punctuated by what seemed to be  
poorly stifled laughter.  
  
"Look," she heard her friend try again. "As much as I want to, I  
can't spend all day with you. I want you back up on your feet  
the sooner the better…"  
  
There were some shifting sounds, then the figure settled back  
down.   
  
Kiyone smiled a little and spooned up some food for him.  
"Now say ah…"  
  
"Oh please! I may be hurt but I am not blind," his eyes rove  
over her face. "And verily, that sight is a true blessing, if you  
don't mind me saying so."  
  
"You and your honeyed tongue!" Kiyone laughed softly, as  
she leaned over… "You never change, do you?"  
  
At that moment, Mitsuki saw, and any doubts or uncertainties  
she might have had were dispelled in an instant, for there was  
no mistaking the cutting of that face, with its sharp, darkly  
charming features, at that moment showing up clearly within  
the sickly wan light of the lab in a sincere glow of joy…  
  
Affirmative then.  
  
Mitsuki was surprised, even now, but not as surprised as she  
thought she might have been. Though in denial of the fact at  
times, she did know Kiyone quite well, and seeing this new  
side of her, directed at, of all people, a space pirate, should  
have been rather more shocking than what registered.  
  
Even as the thoughts went through her head, she was backing  
into the shadows to approach the door to the lab.  
  
I must have sensed it quite a while back, I guess. She seems to  
be mellowing…  
  
Then, quite suddenly, going against every creed of training  
and every ounce of common sense she possessed within her,  
she halted, turning to take one more look at the scene…   
  
There Kiyone was, emerald eyes full of concern and care,  
smiling, at once so glad yet so sad, letting herself be immersed  
into the depths of the azure pools that were his eyes, now so  
full of feeling and warmth, that Mitsuki suddenly found it hard  
to believe he was in reality a cold-blooded murderer…  
  
Treasure this moment, Kiyone…   
  
A cold laugh from within her, as part of herself noted.   
  
Looks like Kiyone isn't the only one mellowing out.  
  
Treasure it, while you may.  
  
Reaching her objective, there was a deft flick of the prop that  
had kept the door just barely open as Sasami had left, then just  
slipping innocuously by it, she was gone.  
  
Kova swallowed, harder than he should have been expected  
to. "Kiyone-chan?" he asked, concerned.  
  
There was a brief moment before the apprehensive  
countenance vanished from her face. "I'm okay," some mirth  
returned to her face, for his question clearly showed the depth  
of his affection for her. "You just get well."  
  
"But I *am* well!" he returned.  
  
"Better, then."  
  
====================================  
  
How long has it been?  
  
He couldn't believe it, though in retrospect, it was strange. It  
had been over a year since Ryoko and Aeka came to the  
Masaki household, but this was probably the first time he was  
actually completely relaxed with both of them at the breakfast  
table, and beside each other, no less.  
  
He looked up from his food at the two girls sitting side by side,  
only, unlike before, no longer with trepidation or fearful  
anticipation, but instead with relaxed curiosity. No more  
battles, no more fear of exploding fireworks that threatened to  
rip apart the house, the peace, and most importantly, the two  
people who, he could finally admit to himself, were dearest to  
him.  
  
Quite suddenly, the image was dispelled as Aeka gave Ryoko a  
warning glance as the space pirate was watching to see if the  
princess was in pain as she took her breakfast. Ryoko blinked,  
then her amber eyes desisted from staring, even as Aeka gave  
a satisfied smirk that seemed rather overly pronounced.  
Tenchi was still puzzling over her behaviour before he caught  
the briefest of winks from Aeka, and the slight twitch from her  
face that masked a quick laugh, almost reminiscent of Ryoko  
rather than Aeka.  
  
Why did she…?  
  
*WHY* is it I always seem to be missing something!?  
  
Well at least she obviously does not intend to antagonise  
Ryoko.  
  
Just when I think I understand them…  
  
He sighed softly to himself, to the arching of an eyebrow from  
Ryoko as her eyes swivelled from Tenchi to Aeka, who herself  
seemed perplexed by Tenchi's reaction.  
  
There was a soft mew as Koneko popped his head over  
Washu's back to gaze at the stairs, and the sound broke  
Tenchi's half-frustrated, half-relieved train of thought, as well  
as any conclusions that might have been in the making within  
Aeka's or Ryoko's mind.  
  
"Oh there you are," Washu beamed as, following the kitten's  
gaze, she saw the figures of Mihoshi and Seion descending  
the staircase. "Had fun, you two?"  
  
Seion smiled back nervously, unsure how Mihoshi would  
react, but the blonde didn't disappoint.  
  
"Huh? What fun?" She asked. Washu responded with a  
meaningful sidelong peek at Seion, which caused Mihoshi to  
blink. "Oooh… er but I don't even know him…" she whispered  
almost solemnly.   
  
Seion blinked, as Mihoshi discreetly stepped away from him.  
To Tenchi's surprise, the blonde did not settle down into one  
of the two empty seats side by side, usually reserved for the  
two GP detectives, but between Washu and Sasami.  
  
Hey! I could have sworn I didn't do anything wrong! Seion  
thought, before settling into one of the two remaining seats.  
Reaching for his bowl, he suddenly looked up and realised  
Mihoshi hadn't moved or said a word since she settled down at  
the table. "Mihoshi?" No response, except that almost  
everyone else was looking at him with varying states of  
bemusement, most notably Mitsuki, who seemed to be in an  
extremely satisfied state, but he really couldn't care less. "Erm,  
you eating?"  
  
"Oh!" the blue eyes cast a puzzled glance at Seion, then the  
blonde reached forward for her own share. Seion kept his eyes  
on her until she had taken the first bite, then proceeded to start  
on his own share.  
  
Finally, unable to stifle her mirth, Mitsuki almost blurted out.  
"Well well well! What a morning this has been… I never thought  
I'd see the day."  
  
"What?" Seion asked her, irritated, as Tenchi surreptitiously  
returned to breakfast, Mihoshi acted as though deaf, and the  
rest watched on with interest, even Aeka, who looked faintly  
amused.  
  
"Oh please… you? Acting gentlemanly? I couldn't even begin  
to imagine!"  
  
Just as he was about to snap back, another figure loomed up  
behind Seion.  
  
"Wha…!?" The Operative, detecting the slight decrease in the  
light level around him, just managed to stop himself from  
lunging sideways and away, which would have bowled Tenchi  
over, before turning around to look up into…  
  
"Oh morning, Kiyone!" Sasami smiled, as Seion relaxed. "You  
must be hungry!"  
  
"Not really." Her emerald eyes flitted from Sasami to Mihoshi,  
mutely working away at her breakfast. Though she would  
rarely have given her partner the credit, she knew the blonde  
had noted her presence but chose not to respond. Apart from  
that, the small matter of seating…  
  
"Hmm?" Seion blinked as he saw Kiyone's eyes latch onto him  
meaningfully.   
  
"And why, pray tell, are *you* sitting there?" Kiyone asked, a  
tad ticked off. Sure, he might be my brother and all, but it's  
nothing certain, and till then, he ought to know how to keep his  
distance.  
  
"Well, the place just happened to be vacant and I was hungry  
and…"  
  
Kiyone glared hard at him. "What happened between the two  
of you?" she growled.  
  
Seion teardropped, as he noticed, out of the corner of his eye,  
Mihoshi flinch. It certainly did not help that it certainly sounded  
like he and Kiyone were an item, provided one was ignorant of  
the presence of the spy, which for the time being he assumed  
Mihoshi was.   
  
"Look Kiyone, I really didn't do anything to her…"  
  
"Then you mind explaining to me what she is doing over there  
and not here?"  
  
To everyone's consternation, it was at this moment Mihoshi  
chose to stand up. "I'm… not hungry." Before making to move  
off.  
  
"STOP."  
  
Mihoshi froze in her tracks as she heard the icy sharp tone of  
command that boded no argument.  
  
"Kiyone, I…" Seion began again.  
  
"Shut up, just shut up, will you?" the green haired detective  
sighed, and mentally snarled at her red-headed colleague who  
was consuming her breakfast, with eyes on the scene, and  
obviously in a state of almost daemonic satisfaction and glee.  
"Something… happened. My assignment commander is not  
too happy about it, and my partner *certainly* is not thrilled…"  
  
The operative bristled slightly. "Maybe," deliberately ignoring  
her aggravated expression at being interrupted in the middle of  
what might have been a theatrically good pause, he forged on.  
"But I'm hungry now. Don't know if you are, but I sure am, and  
you could at least bloody sit down."  
  
For a tense moment, it looked like Kiyone might explode, when  
she just as suddenly deflated and half-collapsed, as if  
exhausted, onto the cushioned seat beside Seion.   
  
Blue eyes widening more, Mihoshi bit her lip, then tightened  
her resolve and moved away into the kitchen.  
  
"So much for waiting…" Washu noted drily. Kiyone pursed  
her lips, but otherwise ignored the scientist, who continued. "I  
guess this is as full this breakfast table will get today, so I  
guess I should get started…" Washu looked around the table  
once, to see if there were any reaction, which there wasn't, and  
was of course what she had naturally foreseen, so… "I have to  
get going."  
  
"Huh?" Sasami looked up in surprised disappointment from  
her breakfast. "Going? Where, Washu?"  
  
"Well in case you all forgot, there is still a small, minor problem,  
of the Tachyon Ray technology…"  
  
"But I thought we got that back already?" Sasami asked,  
puzzled.   
  
"Perhaps. But there is a good chance, about 98.89479 percent,  
actually, that the technology for the Ray was obtained."  
  
"Heh, looks like we're on the run again," Ryoko grinned, as  
Tenchi blanched at leaving Earth so soon. "So whose joint are  
we gonna wreck this time?"  
  
Washu smirked. "Need I say?"  
  
"Erm…" Tenchi tried to get a word in, but…  
  
"It's high time we returned them the favour, hmm? They've  
been paying this place two house calls too many." Washu  
ignored Tenchi. "Right?"  
  
Katsuhito nodded, but only just.  
  
"I haven't always been looking forward to visiting other  
places," Aeka thought back to the times she went on her  
marriage meetings. "But I must say that it wouldn't do not to  
make an exception in the face of such a delightful purpose."  
Tenchi blinked in surprise, for though the princess was smiling  
sweetly as she spoke this, her demeanour gave him the  
impression of a wounded beast snarling in eager anticipation  
of settling the score. Sasami too, gave Aeka a queer look, but  
licked her lips and kept quiet.  
  
"As long as I get my man, I don't care where we go," Mitsuki  
provided herself the liberty of commenting.  
  
Seion looked up briefly from his bowl, where he seemed to  
have lost himself in for a while. "I'm with her…" As he buried  
himself back into the delightful breakfast, Mitsuki noted with  
surprise he did not point out to her, as she expected, that it  
was "we get our man" instead of "I get my man."  
  
"Moving out at last? Now that is the best news I've heard in a  
while…" Kiyone commented drily as she sat back, almost as if  
she had eaten her fill, but her food was scarcely touched. "I  
have a thing or two to settle over there… and also especially,  
like *Mitsuki*, I look forward to completing my assignment."  
  
"Oh, you mean the assignment is yours alone?" Mitsuki  
retorted. "Besides, how do you know that the man *I* want will  
be there?"  
  
Kiyone smiled ever so placidly at Mitsuki. "I think that you, of  
all people, should have the least need to know the answer to  
that question."  
  
"I'm with you," Seion murmured, inviting a glare from his  
red-haired colleague.  
  
"Sure I'd like to go along too, Washu," Sasami butted in to try  
to defuse the tense situation between the three GP cops. "But  
what does Tenchi think?"  
  
"I…"  
  
There was a loud crash of smashing crockery from the kitchen.  
  
"Oops…" A brief commotion, then Mihoshi's head popped  
around the corner of the kitchen. "I'm so sorry I broke  
something I was just trying to wash up and…" Her eyes took in  
everyone looking at her, yet somehow blotting out the images  
of Kiyone, Seion and Mitsuki from the table, an act which went  
not unnoticed by her three fellow detectives. "Err… am I  
interrupting something?"  
  
Washu rolled her eyes.   
  
Kiyone quickly replied. "We were just talking about leaving  
here to go…"  
  
"Uh huh…" Mihoshi added blankly, still not making eye  
contact with her partner. "Err… I'll go back to clean up…"  
  
As Mihoshi vanished back into the kitchen, her partner  
frowned before turning to glare at Seion. "So tell me, exactly  
*what* did *you* do to *my* partner?"  
  
"Honest, Kiyone, I didn't do anything to her!"  
  
"Cut that out, you two…" Washu looked from one to the other,  
noting the similarities as well as startling differences. Both  
green haired, with the same bright dark green eyes, their locks  
mirrors of each other, with equally striking facial features… but  
one was tanned while the other was fair, one muscular and tall  
with the other slender, though no less strong in her own way.  
"If you want to sort things out, do it somewhere else. So  
anyone else have anything to say?"  
  
"Well it'd be great to get away from work again for another  
vacation," Nobuyuki noted. "You won't be forgetting my  
medical certificate for my job, will you Washu?"  
  
"Yeah, no problem."  
  
Sometimes I wonder why I stoop to doing such things…  
Washu thought.  
  
"So, Tenchi, what have you to say?" She stared full at him, and  
grinned inwardly as she saw Tenchi was about to say  
something, except that everyone at the table was looking at  
him expectantly, minus Kiyone, who seemed distracted, but  
nevertheless, still watching. "Of course, you could always stay  
here and wait for our good friend Seida to send you more  
robots to play with…"  
  
The boy looked helplessly around the table.  
  
I like it here, it's so peaceful on Earth… can't everything just  
stay the way it is? Why must this kind of thing *always* happen  
to me? Why me, what did I do to deserve this kind of…  
  
Tenchi sighed softly. "I just hope I can finish my homework  
before vacation ends."  
  
====================================  
  
"Mihoshi?" a feminine voice asked gently to the soft sound of  
the door shutting behind her.  
  
The blonde bit her lip, pausing in the action of packing up her  
wardrobe, then resolutely continued.  
  
A hand landed on her shoulder. "Look, I know you're…"  
  
Deep bitter emotions, deliberately bottled up and stashed  
away, bubbled up to the surface again with the touch of that  
hand. "Let go of me!" She spun around, and Kiyone's face  
widened in surprise as she saw the glare that hid Mihoshi's  
anguish and insecurities at Kiyone's perceived betrayal under  
the roaring flame of rage that glittered menacingly over the  
shimmer of the fresh tears . "What do you know, what *can*  
you know!?"  
  
Memories stirred in her mind once more. Of many faces, many  
other men, anxiously seeking to make her more than  
acquaintance, some of whom she actually felt a liking… and  
Kiyone telling her to turn them all away. Of Kiyone, who up till  
now, had never felt the need for any man in her life, while deep  
within herself she had pining all the while. Of Tenchi defending  
her from Ryoko using only a hoe…. Kova snatching her out of  
the way of the bullets… but they were both gone, taken. Seion  
now… having done… nothing for her…?  
  
"Mihoshi, there's nothing going on between me and Seion."  
  
Unbidden visions surged from within, of him holding Kiyone,  
bringing his face close to hers as she let herself be pressed  
him into a corner, close to his bare chest…  
  
"You just go…" Mihoshi's voice quavered, nearly breaking, as  
she backed away from her partner, lowering her gaze. "…and  
be with them."   
  
Kiyone swore in frustration as she recalled the scene too.  
"That wasn't the way it seemed, Mihoshi!" Already she had  
made the decision to keep Seion's secret to herself, until she  
could be certain of it.  
  
"He… likes you very much, Kiyone." She whispered. She  
could hear him, asking about Kiyone, how Kiyone was doing,  
wif she had a boyfriend…  
  
"He doesn't!" Kiyone paused, uncertain how to phrase it. "At  
least… not that way!"  
  
The moist azure eyes looked up in surprise at Kiyone. "What  
way? He likes you… and you like him too, don't you?" Her  
gaze intensified, and Kiyone backed half a step away in shock.  
  
"It's not the way you think…"  
  
"WHAT way!?" Mihoshi shrieked, unwilling to hear, or accept,  
the admission she had just drawn out from her partner.  
  
How could Kiyone do this to me!? She already has Kova, why  
does she have to like *him*!?  
  
"So he likes you, and you like him, and nobody likes *me*…"  
Her blue eyes started to fill with tears again.  
  
"We're just friends!" the green-haired detective shot back.  
  
For a reply, Mihoshi stared stolidly and stonily at her, her blue  
eyes cold and dark with anger. "I might be stupid, Kiyone,"  
Mihoshi whispered. "But I know what I saw."  
  
"I was just talking to him!"  
  
Mihoshi smiled a very sweet yet ghostly smile, and Kiyone felt  
her heart skip a beat as she was reminded of Kova's ghostly  
smile just the night before, by the riverside, when he was  
suggesting Kiyone and Seion turn him in. It looked so out of  
place, yet there was something almost ethereally radiant about  
Mihoshi's expression. "Please, take good care of him. Maybe  
like Aeka, Ryoko and Tenchi…"  
  
Kiyone blinked at the utterly ridiculously incongruous  
suggestion forwarded to her, before bursting out more out of  
outrage than in actual anger. "Are you listening to me!? I love  
Kova-chan! I don't love Seion the way you say!!"  
  
Oh my god this is almost like talking to Kova-chan all over  
again…  
  
Mihoshi turned away from Kiyone, and the detective could just  
barely hear her whisper. "But does he know?"  
  
"Yes." Kiyone noted a tremor down Mihoshi's form as she  
heard that, a quick intake of breath.. "He knows."  
  
"Does he…"  
  
"I would have shot him dead if he tried to hurt Kova-chan, and  
he knows that."  
  
Silence.  
  
"He did something to you, didn't he, Mihoshi?"  
  
Silence again, but almost guilty.  
  
"What happened?" Kiyone moved forward, tenderly moving  
over to stroke Mihoshi's hair. "Did he hurt you?"  
  
"He… tried to comfort me." Mihoshi whispered.  
  
A brief wave of emerald locks to a brief nod of her head. "Did  
you give him a chance?"  
  
"I… I couldn't help myself, Kiyone… it felt so good…" Mihoshi  
sobbed slightly. "…to be held, to have someone care…"  
  
Kiyone's eyes widened. "You didn't…!?"  
  
"No… I wouldn't let that happen again." There was an  
uncharacteristic cold laugh from the blonde that ended off into  
another sob before Mihoshi could help herself. "I let him stay,  
though."  
  
"So, are you going to give him a chance?" Kiyone  
remembered the earnest way Seion spoke to her about herself  
and Mihoshi the night before, when Kova was hiding under the  
bed.  
  
"I don't know…"  
  
"Don't worry, I certainly will not be falling for him," Kiyone  
smiled. "So it's up to you…"  
  
"Really?" The blonde murmured, uncertainly, but inside  
Kiyone was glad to note there was no longer that sorrowful  
edge to her voice already.  
  
"Yeah… but we don't know him all that well yet, so be careful,  
all right?"  
  
"I'll try, Kiyone," Mihoshi finally turned to look back at her  
partner, the vestiges of sorrow and apprehension still in her  
expression. "I'll try."  
  
"And I'll be keeping an eye on him for you?" Her hand patted  
Mihoshi's shoulder reassuringly. "After all, you're my partner."  
  
"Thanks, Kiyone," Mihoshi finally managed, and a gentle warm  
smile broke her frigid expression. "You're the best…" Slowly,  
she put her arms around Kiyone, who held her gently.  
  
"You are too…" Kiyone sighed, satisfied with herself, as she  
felt her partner's chin rest on her shoulder, and her back  
moving up and down as she drew breath. "Best ever."  
  
====================================  
  
"MIYAAA!"  
  
Moving gracefully yet with lightning swift speed, she was off  
the bed and in a half-crouched combat stance, her eyes roving  
around wildly.  
  
Nothing… there's nothing around… relax.  
  
With a bit of concentration that seemed almost natural, she  
returned into a state of comfortable relaxation, and she rose  
elegantly but cautiously to her feet. Her hand casually reached  
out for her cloak by the bed before she almost carelessly  
draped it over her naked form which was still marred with  
minor scars here and there.  
  
"Miya," she heard the sound again. "Miyaaamya. Meeya?"  
  
"Alright, alright." She bowed her head slightly, trying to stop  
the mild headache, then mentally chided herself for it. "Who is  
it?" As she was walking rapidly to the bridge, the swirls of  
black cloak parting to reveal her legs and slender form.   
  
"Miya…myaaa."  
  
Nagi nodded, flashing a brief smile at no one in particular, a  
smile that just as rapidly faded away as she considered the  
current state of her being, and what had caused it.  
  
"Well?" she stepped onto the bridge. The person on the  
screen arched an eyebrow tartly as she made out the bounty  
hunter's cloaked form, with the occasional glimpses of  
something more beneath the shadowed robe. Nagi gave a wry,  
cold, disdainful smirk. "What did you learn?"  
  
There was a brief clearing from the throat of the informant.  
"He's on Earth."  
  
Nagi yawned.  
  
"In Japa…"  
  
Nagi flashed her a fierce menacing stare that caused Mitsuki to  
raise an eyebrow in surprise. "Quit wasting my time. Money's  
trickling through my fingers as we speak… as well as through  
yours."  
  
"All right, he's in Washu's lab, now."  
  
Hmm, that is a surprise…  
  
Outwardly nonchalant, the bounty hunter stood her ground.  
"Hardly helpful. I am aware of Washu's capabilities and I have  
no wish to antagonise her. What of his movements?"  
  
"Hmm… as to his immediate movements, he does seem to be  
in some… difficulties."  
  
"Really? So how is it you haven't already laid your hands on  
him?"  
  
"I face certain…opposition. Opposition you might find  
interesting…"  
  
"And who might that be?"  
  
"Kiyone, at least."  
  
Nagi blinked, losing her composure for the first time. "Kiyone?  
On his side?" Hardly what she would consider conceivable,  
especially after seeing Kiyone blast a hole in his body last  
night… but was that really Kiyone? But then again, in Nagi's  
view, Kiyone was to the detective profession what Nagi herself  
was to the bounty hunter vocation. "Explain yourself."  
  
"Well, she does seem to have some affections for him." Mitsuki  
answered smugly.  
  
Nagi smiled wickedly. Here was a language and reason she  
understood all too well. "Interesting. So tell me, is he as  
devoted to her, or is he playing her for a sucker?"  
  
"Couldn't be sure, but he certainly looks like he's really hit the  
roof for her."  
  
Nagi nodded to herself.   
  
But he is a spy, after all. He should be used to pretending to be  
what he is not… after all if he is injured he will have serious  
need of her.  
  
"What of the rest of them?" Nagi asked, but naturally she  
already had her own view.  
  
"They seem unaware of his presence, except Washu and  
Sasami. I'll wager that they're all with him, though, except  
maybe Seion."  
  
"Hmm, that might prove difficult…" the bounty hunter was  
aware of her injury, though she did not give the slightest hint  
of weakness. "Do they happen to be making any movements  
soon?"  
  
"Yes, I believe they will be…"  
  
"Very well, I will make the necessary arrangements." Nagi  
acknowledged.  
  
"My dues?"  
  
Nagi sighed. Even for herself, a bounty hunter, Mitsuki's  
mercenary tendencies were a tad wearying. "Yes yes, they will  
come in due time. And now, if you please, speak."  
  
====================================  
  
Tenchi looked at his house.  
  
"You know, I never seem to get used to this."  
  
"Hey, don't worry!" Ryoko winked at him. "All you have to do is  
spend more time with me, and you'll be getting used to it in no  
time."  
  
"Excuse me, Ryoko, but I do believe you are forgetting  
something?" Aeka pointed out tartly. "In case you forgot,  
Tenchi has got his school to go to, as well as other more  
important matters."  
  
"Is that so? Spending time with you can hardly be considered  
important." Ryoko returned.  
  
"You dare slight me?" Aeka countered. "I'll have you know that  
if that were the case, spending time with you would be of even  
less import!"   
  
I will never really understand why they keep on doing this,  
Tenchi thought, as he bent down to peer more carefully at his  
house, before gingerly hefting it up. It almost seemed like a  
game now, the way they insisted on this almost hostile  
bantering. It seemed less vehement than before, and certainly  
the shouting was less, but maybe that had something to do  
with the fact that Aeka, still having difficulties walking, was  
leaning on Ryoko for support.  
  
"Maybe it is not so much import, but rather, what Tenchi  
enjoys doing." Ryoko reminded. "I'm sure there can be no  
comparison in the satisfaction to be had in my company as  
compared to when doing other, more 'important' matters."  
Such as spending time with you, was an unnecessary  
extension, for it was clearly understood.  
  
"Yes, I will have to agree with you on that statement, Ryoko,"  
Aeka replied evenly. "Surely the pleasure there is to be had in  
your company is so insignificant when placed against that in  
the alternative case that there is indeed, no possible  
comparison to be made between the two cases…"  
  
Interestingly, Tenchi noted, gone were the references either  
party made to each other with respect to their social standing,  
whether princess or pirate, and also, there were no longer  
direct attacks on each other. It seemed to be more as though  
they were using his mood and bearing as a measure for their  
standing, he thought as he looked back for a moment at the  
two of them even as he entered the Yagami  
  
Kiyone was still checking out the new controls Washu placed  
inside her reconstructed ship, especially at the bridge, as  
Tenchi came in.  
  
"Where do you want me to put this?"   
  
"The usual place," Kiyone replied without looking at him, one  
hand holding a mini-brush with dark blue paint. She had  
tactfully got Mihoshi to go take a look at the Midorishu, just so  
she could ascertain which equipment did what without  
worrying about her partner trying to figure out what happened  
*after* she pressed a button. And as always, when it came to  
buttons Mihoshi had a liking for red. Washu had explained she  
was busy with something else, so she had automated the  
reconstruction of the Yagami, hence the many red buttons.  
Kiyone, as she painted over yet another one of those,  
sometimes wondered if she meant to construct a  
non-Mihoshi-proof Yagami purposely, especially considering  
what Mihoshi meant to Washu.  
  
"Where's Kova?" Tenchi looked around.  
  
"I put him in the ship's living quarters." Kiyone replied. "I  
guess Washu's viewscreen from my bedroom to the bridge  
does serve its purposes…"  
  
"How come I don't see him in it?" Tenchi asked.  
  
Kiyone paused, then exasperatedly looked up at the screen.  
Sure enough, it only showed an empty interior of her bedroom,  
including her bed with somewhat rumpled sheets. "Damnit  
*what* will it take to keep him down?" she muttered under her  
breath. "I thought I just saw him lying there about three  
seconds ago."  
  
The boy blinked as Kiyone hurried away, then followed her,  
but only because that was the way to the ship's hold where he  
could place his house.  
  
Meanwhile, orbiting the planet, Ken-oh-ki maintained his  
vigilance.  
  
====================================  
  
He leaned back as the transmission came through, followed by  
the verification. "Axis confirmed, from Solar System to  
Colrathius System."  
  
The man in the other screen nodded in acknowledgement.  
"Permission to impinge on Synerean territory, sir?"  
  
"Granted. If necessary, you can call for back up and it will be a  
joint operation."  
  
The captain whistled to himself, impressed.  
  
Wow they must really want this sucker bad…  
  
"Roger, moving out," he opened transmission to his  
comrades. "Let's go, teams."  
  
====================================  
  
"Now what?" He sat up from his slouched position as he  
spotted a change in the console display.   
  
And blinked.   
  
"DAMN!"  
  
"Why, what's wrong?" Mitsuki asked evenly as she strolled  
into the bridge from her own quarters. "Oh." Her eyes locked  
onto the display. "What a coincidence, it does seem as if it's  
quite a mission… this GP squad looks pretty big, even by  
squad standards." She put her hand up to her chin in the  
classic gesture of thoughtfulness. "Now do you think we  
should try to assist them?"  
  
Seion threw her a suspicious glance that she pretended not to  
notice, then… "Mido, Yagami. *Now*."  
  
====================================  
  
"I said, get back down!"  
  
"Really?" He grinned back. "Hmm, is it my imagination or are  
you actually enjoying this?"  
  
For a moment, she was undecided whether to scream, laugh or  
cry, and just as she was about to settle for just shouting his  
name, the shrill blare of klaxons rang through the insides of  
the room.  
  
"Looks like I get my way after all…" he whispered, smiling  
wryly as he saw her bewildered face before his, gradually  
change into one of dismay. Another round of alarms went off  
again. "Shouldn't you be attending to something,  
Kiyone-chan?"  
  
Kiyone gave him a withering glare, but all that did was make  
him look more amused. Mentally heaving a sigh of resignation,  
she clambered off him and hurried to the viewscreen Washu  
had installed. "All right, *now* what!?"  
  
Mihoshi blinked as she saw Kiyone's flustered face. "Erm…"  
  
"Wait… don't tell me," Kiyone's expression fell, as she slapped  
a hand onto her face and sighed. "You accidentally did it again,  
didn't you? The red button again, right?" She was beginning  
to regret the choice of the button she abstained from painting  
over, if only because Mihoshi pressing it would be a minor  
inconvenience compared to if she had tried any other red one.  
Out of the corner of her eye she just caught Kova moving from  
his prone position on her bed to a half sitting one. "Hey get  
back down! You're supposed to be resting!"  
  
"It'll do," he winked back at her. "I'm feeling better now and  
besides… if you want me back down you'll have to get me  
back down yourself."  
  
"Kiyone?" Mihoshi piped nervously from the viewscreen.  
  
"*Now* what!?" the detective glared at her partner once more,  
only this time her face was flushed even more, both from  
embarrassment and annoyance.  
  
"Well… Seion says… we've got company."  
  
Kiyone blinked once, then quickly tapped two buttons under  
the viewscreen, causing Mihoshi's image to fade into the  
background as the sensory part of the ship console display  
showed up. "Oh… DAMN!"  
  
"Bye…!" Kova waved cheerfully after her as she raced out of  
the room.  
  
"And why don't you just lie down and rest!!" Her words were  
left hanging behind in her wake.  
  
"Because… I'm feeling better already," he answered, to no one  
in particular, for Kiyone was already too far to be able to make  
out his words.  
  
====================================  
  
"I'm sorry, but I simply do *not* understand what you are  
talking about."  
  
"But princess, headquarters have given me specific orders on  
capturing the criminal, and there is absolute confirmation that  
this being is on board one of…" the squadron leader tried  
plaintively in the face of three stolidly set faces glaring at him  
from the transmission screens, two indignant and one  
disinterested.  
  
"Hey, come on! Let's not be mean, shall we?" Ryoko smiled  
cheerfully as she popped her head over Tenchi's shoulder,  
between the boy and Aeka, before giving the squadron leader  
a daggered gaze and a grin that made him think of steel and  
knives.. "If it's me you want… I'm all game!"  
  
"No no!" He tried again. "We're not looking for you, Miss  
Ryoko…"  
  
"Hah!" The space pirate exclaimed disdainfully. "Well if you're  
chicken, just admit it and quit wasting our time…"  
  
The captain decided to give up and try the third screen. "Look,  
Operative 231, you should know how much he means to HQ  
and to the SSS now, after all, he IS your mission objective,  
right?"  
  
Seion replied by yawning. "Look, you know me well, and you  
know I'm the kind who ain't gonna go back till I got my hands  
on that bastard, and so if I'm not turning back that means I ain't  
got none of my fingers squeezing that bugger's neck yet."  
  
Grimacing nervously again in the face of united  
opposition, the fellow tried again, albeit to the second ship in  
communication. "What about you, Chief Inspector Kiyone? Are  
you absolutely sure that the aforementioned fugitive is, as you  
have stated in your earlier statement, in transit to the  
Colrathius System, and not, as our source indicates, on board  
your very own ship?"  
  
Kiyone's eyes hardened even further, and the captain flinched  
as he made out the cutting edge. "With all due respect, sir, do I  
look like someone to go for a space cruise and leave my area  
of jurisdiction for no particular reason? As for the implied  
accusation I am harbouring this person on board the Yagami, I  
would like to remind you, sir, that as an officer within the ranks  
of the Galaxy Police, my loyalty and allegiance to the law is, as  
always, and always will be, absolute."  
  
"Hmmm…" he gazed from Kiyone to Aeka, from Ryoko to  
Seion. "Very well then, Chief Inspector. Could you swear by  
your job as a GP officer that the criminal is not seeking  
sanctuary in your craft?"  
  
"I sure wou…" Kiyone began, but was cut off…  
  
"Are you kidding me!?" Ryoko burst out into a round of  
laughter. "This little cop just got her ship blown up couple of  
days ago, and you expect her to take proper care it!?" Kiyone  
glared at Ryoko through the screen, as the captain blinked in  
surprise at her outburst. "Man… you GP types really tickle me!"  
  
"*Ryoko*!" Kiyone snarled back. "Are you saying I…"  
  
"Hey hey hey…" the captain interceded. "I didn't come here to  
see two chicks fight."  
  
The green-haired detective glared back at him. "What was that  
you called me!?"  
  
"In case you forgot, Inspector…" the squadron leader replied  
coldly. "I'm a superior officer…"  
  
"Well, *sir*… I'll have you know that…"  
  
The captain sighed and bowed his head slightly, scratching  
his forehead in a resigned manner. "All right, all right! You  
win!" he judiciously tried to ignore Ryoko who was holding her  
stomach, clinging on to Tenchi for support and laughing her  
guts out, to the discomfiture of Tenchi and the aggravation of  
Aeka, and instead gave Kiyone and Seion a meaningful look, at  
least as meaningful as he could manage while backing down  
and trying not to seem nonplussed. "I'm sure you're both  
aware of the consequences if you're found harbouring a  
wanted criminal, right officers?" That they both nodded in  
acknowledgement, even if a little stonily, gave him a much  
better sense of comfort. "Good luck for your assignment. Both  
of you have excellent service records, and I sincerely hope that  
this is all just a misunderstanding…"   
  
Seion smiled back genially. "Thank you, Sensei Hushira…"  
  
The captain smiled fondly, as he remembered his days  
coaching Seion in the protocol of the GP after his long stint in  
Torabushi territory on the planet Amano. He was lucky in that  
he won the respect of the young "renegade", as Seion was so  
regarded at the time, and the youth always insisted in calling  
him Sensei, and as he was only about six years older than  
most of the Operative Cadets he trained, he had been able to  
relate more closely to most of them. "That's sir, Seion."  
  
The Operative laughed good-naturedly. "Yes, sir!"  
  
"Thank you," the captain gave one more approving nod. "Out,"  
and the transmission screen to squadron flagship AR-6837  
blanked out.  
  
The crews of all three ships relaxed visibly, and Seion gave a  
long, weary sigh. "Man… I hated doing that."  
  
Kiyone gave him an odd look via transmission screen, as if  
evaluating where her cause stood within his loyalties, before  
giving Ryoko the thumbs up. "Thanks…"  
  
"Heh, used to doing such crap," the cyan-haired lady winked  
back.  
  
"Well," Aeka pointed out, still a little ticked off. "You mind not  
leaning so much on Tenchi next time?"  
  
"Aeka, Aeka, Aeka…" Ryoko smiled winningly yet  
patronisingly back at her. "You know where I stand with that,  
right?"  
  
"Fine," she turned to regard Tenchi. "What do you think, lord  
Tenchi?"  
  
"Errr…" he teardropped as they both fixed their eyes onto him.  
"Could we just pretend… this never happened?"  
  
"Kiyone?" a voice asked nervously, then Mihoshi's face  
peeked out from behind her partner. "Is it all right to come out  
now?"  
  
"Should think so," Seion grinned at her through his  
transmission screen.   
  
"Oh…?"  
  
Washu nudged Ryoko mischieviously. "If you don't mind,  
Ryoko, how about some privacy for them, like about now?"  
  
"Righto!" Ryoko returned and promptly closed off Ryo-oh-ki's  
transmission.  
  
"Well, Mihoshi, I'll be getting along about now too, I guess,"  
Kiyone sounded a bit droll, but Mihoshi, who was looking  
wide eyed at the blank screen where Ryo-oh-ki's crew had  
once been on display, and wondering what was going on,  
wasn't exactly receptive. "Kova-chan will be missing me…"  
  
As she left Mihoshi, she wondered about what she was doing  
still.  
  
Well… he's on my side, and friendly and everything… but…  
  
My brother?  
  
She shuddered. It was hard to imagine anyone actually  
managing to fall for Mihoshi, with all her ditzy baggage, much  
less one who was her brother…  
  
Well, Mihoshi *is* nice… but…  
  
What if he was looking just to…?  
  
She shut the nasty thought out, even as it came to her. She  
had spoken to him, been with him… and she doubted he was  
looking just for that.  
  
I'll just have to wait and see. Brother of mine or no, he'd better  
prove it.  
  
"Not bad…"   
  
Quick as a flash, she had spun around, blaster at the ready,  
pointing upwards at the source of the sound, then… "Oh, it's  
just you…" she relaxed, smiling, then just as suddenly, her  
face fell. "HEY! You're supposed to be RESTING!!!"  
  
"Just wanted to congratulate you, Kiyone-chan," he smiled, as  
he let go of the ventilator tube, causing his upper torso to fall,  
resulting in an upside down suspension from the ceiling,  
facing Kiyone, with his legs gripping another something,  
grinning face level with Kiyone's own. "That was a pretty good  
act up there…" His long hair hung down from the top of his  
head, and he looked quite a comic. That his grin was topsy  
turvy made him look even odder, but for all that, it didn't really  
help…  
  
"Get the hell down from there!" Kiyone shouted at him. "Or I'm  
not talking to you!"  
  
"But I'm…"  
  
"No you are *not*!" She retorted. "You think I'm blind, that I  
didn't see you grimace as your body swung low?"  
  
"It only just hurts a little…"  
  
"Absolutely NOT! Now get back where you belong!" With that  
having been spoken, Kiyone turned around and stormed down  
the corridor in a huff.   
  
====================================  
  
Meanwhile, as Ryoko had shut off the transmission, three  
figures, two normal sized and one pint-sized, were walking  
side by side towards the back of Ryo-oh-ki.   
  
"Well, Aeka, you think that will be the end of it?"   
  
"I don't know… really." The princess replied, her voice full of  
unease. "He didn't seem that convinced." She shook her head.  
"Even if he wished to be…"  
  
Well, at least it seems I'm not alone in being bonded to my  
duties…  
  
"Yeah, sis, you're right," Sasami noted, sighing a little. "I'm  
scared, Aeka."  
  
"Don't worry, Sasami," Tenchi smiled, if a little apprehensively.  
"We'll take care of you…"  
  
Sasami nodded. "Yeah, I know." Try as she might to pretend it  
never happened, she had dreamed just last night, of when they  
were on board the Comet… of the laser beams streaking right  
through her own shield to go through both herself and Aeka…  
"I'll try not to be…" Her fingers brushed against the silver band  
Kova had given her, and she remembered what he said about  
how if no one else would get through it, she would.  
  
"You're a smart kid, Sasami," Ryoko joined in amicably as she  
materialised on the side of Tenchi away from Aeka. "They'd  
probably be packing something for us. Hell even in my days I  
don't think I've even seen such a big group of those bastards  
anywhere…"  
  
"Quite true, Ryoko. They must have some faith in their source  
too, and the one calling the shots for Kova must be someone,  
to be able to pull in so many ships so quickly." Aeka mused.  
"This almost seems like when we were on the run from  
Kagato…"  
  
"Not a time I particularly want to remember…" Tenchi groaned.  
"Why do these things always happen to me!?"  
  
"Because you can handle it, Tenchi," Ryoko laughed, hugging  
him, as Aeka gave him a reassuring pat on his shoulder,  
causing him to smile weakly, at least.  
  
"I sure hope so." He answered weakly. "I just wished someone  
could tell me how to deal with all this…"  
  
"Well…" Sasami pointed out brightly. "Why don't we all go ask  
Grandpa?"  
  
"Good idea," Aeka smiled at Sasami, who giggled back.  
  
"Thanks, sis!"  
  
Ryoko furrowed her brow in irritation. "Now where did Washu  
say she put that door…?"  
  
====================================  
  
Mitsuki smiled to herself as she watched Seion whisper  
various petty nothings to Mihoshi. The blonde was clearly  
lapping it all up, and although she had the sense to try to hide  
that, she wasn't doing a very good job at it. It was almost  
pathetic, the way she tried to look away with that brilliant blush  
of hers, and though her skin was beautifully tanned, the rose  
tinge still showed up quite clearly. Knowing the Operative,  
what with him having a sharp eye for ladies, she must  
practically have been glowing. Not that he wasn't either, of  
course.   
  
You poor, poor dear.   
  
She thought as she watched Mihoshi. Glad though the blonde  
was with the attention accorded to her, there was still that  
barrier standing between her, and Mitsuki sensed that Mihoshi  
was still rather uncertain and suspicious, especially about  
Seion's involvement with Kiyone, but she was drawn to him  
much like a moth drawn to a flame.  
  
Don't you know all men are like that, just trying to get to go  
with the lady? Oh yeah, I forgot, you're Mihoshi. Well, just a few  
more sessions like this, and you'll be putty in his hands. Good  
luck… though if I heard right from some people, he's quite a  
stud, especially when it comes to riding…  
  
It would be interesting though, if anything happened. I'd like to  
see how you take it. And Kiyone too, if she ever found out.  
  
Turning from the viewscreen, she lay back against the pillows  
of her bunk, and stretched. It wasn't uncomfortable, but it  
wasn't particularly comfortable either. The Midorishu was  
rather spartan, and even with the bits and pieces Mitsuki  
managed to scrounge up in the short while before going off  
with Seion, there wasn't that much difference. The real reason  
why Mitsuki had chosen to stay in while Seion was handling  
the GP squad captain was that, knowing herself, she was  
afraid she might let something slip, and that was not  
something she wanted particularly keenly to do. No doubt,  
Seion and Kiyone must both have their suspicions, but  
dropping more hints would certainly not help her cause in the  
least.  
  
Yes… my cause. The path of righteousness, justice, of  
bringing the guilty to stand before the court of law and pay for  
their crimes, of avenging the innocent and the fall…  
  
Oh yes, I nearly forgot, she smiled to herself. The small matter  
of at least a million Synereals, and perhaps a promotion.  
  
====================================  
  
"Grandpa?" Tenchi peeked into the living room of Masaki  
household, currently in residence on board the newly refitted  
Yagami.  
  
"Shhh…!" there was a tension in the original Masaki's voice.  
"Not now Tenchi!" Katsuhito gave another look of extreme  
deliberation, then looked into the eyes of his opponent, his  
hand resting on his weapon. "There…" Slowly, ever so slowly,  
he lifted his hand up…  
  
Out of curiosity, Ryoko moved closer to take a look, and  
Tenchi, Aeka and Sasami followed suit. Naturally the situation  
made little or no sense to Ryoko, but from what Tenchi and  
Aeka could make out, Katsuhito was on the roll, ready to make  
mincemeat of his opponent, whose face was screwed up into  
nervous and intense concentration as he tried to anticipate his  
foe's next move.  
  
"Your turn," Katsuhito replied in a monotone, carefully keeping  
his face expressionless. "Heh heh…" he smiled slightly at the  
worried look on the face of Nobuyuki.  
  
"I'm thinking…" Nobuyuki stared at the board.  
  
"Will someone please tell me what is going on here?" Ryoko  
butted in before Tenchi or Aeka had a chance to point out to  
her that interrupting their game was not exactly standard  
social intercourse. Not that Ryoko would care, of course.  
  
"Well… your dad here…" he was a little used to talking to  
Tenchi about this game, so Katsuhito just employed the term.  
"…tried a little too hard to end the game earlier. Now he's  
paying the price." Indeed, most of Katsuhito's pieces were  
positioned in advantageous positions, and looked set to  
massacre the routed enemy.   
  
Sasami sighed softly as she looked at the board. "Game  
over…" she turned away.  
  
"Well, too true…" It wasn't often that Katsuhito laughed softly  
in the open, and even less so in a vindictive manner, but he  
certainly was doing so now. "Eventually."  
  
"No, not really," Sasami whispered softly to herself, but only  
Tenchi and Aeka just managed to hear and ponder over it,  
while Katsuhito certainly did not.  
  
"The price of trying too hard is steep, my son…" Katsuhito  
continued.  
  
"Yes it is…" Nobuyuki deliberated hard for a moment, then  
suddenly broke out into a wide beam. "Yes… very steep." With  
a mischievous sidelong glance to make sure everyone, with  
the exception of Sasami, was watching his move, he quite  
suddenly moved an almost perfectly harmless piece into what  
was a perfectly innocuous place. "Yes… especially after  
almost two hours on this game too…" Katsuhito's eyes bulged  
out as Nobuyuki sighed pretentiously, as Sasami, still not  
looking at the board or players, shook her head to herself.  
"Check…" Just to make sure Katsuhito got an idea of the big  
picture, he tapped another innocently placed piece lightly, that  
had seemingly been there all along. "And on the next move…  
mate."  
  
Katsuhito stared up in shock, as he mentally ran through all  
the options available for his general, but all the escape routes  
were covered, ironically some by his very own attacking  
forces. Then slowly, ever so slowly, he smiled. "Well,  
Tenchi…" he turned to look at his grandson, his face settling  
down into a solemn look as he cleared his throat. "You…  
ahem… have leant a very important lesson here?"  
  
"Huh!?" Tenchi blinked. "I… have?"  
  
"Nah, he's just upset he lost," Nobuyuki laughed, at least till  
Katsuhito threw him an imperious glance that caused him to  
subside suddenly into sheepish murmurings. "Although of  
course, he usually does have a point… respect for your elders  
is very important, Tenchi…"  
  
Katsuhito turned to face Tenchi once more. "You see, the  
enemy may seem to be routed at times, but so long there is an  
opponent is seated before you, the battle is yet unfinished, and  
you should watch out lest your enemy is staging a comeback."  
  
"Oh…" Tenchi managed. "I supposed you and dad saw  
everything going on from the TV?" Washu had installed a ship  
connection so the people in the house could be informed of  
developments at the bridge.  
  
Katsuhito pointedly ignored his question. "All right, lesson's  
over." And he quite naturally turned back to face Nobuyuki,  
still seated opposite him across the board, and started  
resetting the pieces.  
  
"Huh?" Nobuyuki asked.   
  
"I was only demonstrating to Tenchi, my son. It is important he  
learns," Katsuhito replied evenly. "Care for another game?"   
  
====================================  
  
"You know, you really are getting on my nerves." Kiyone  
laughed, despite herself, looking up at him.  
  
"Yes, I believe so," he winked back. "And I can see you are  
very angry at me, indeed."  
  
"Kova-chan!" Not for the first time, Kiyone wondered if her love  
for him was a blessing or a curse. Even without talking about  
their standing within the darkness or the light, just caring for  
and being with him was at once wonderful yet upsetting in a  
way. She still remembered how he had came in, staggering  
towards his place of rest, and when she approached him to  
help him, he had suddenly pounced on her and now here they  
both were…  
  
Maybe I'm too used to being in control… I should relax.  
  
"Well look at it this way - so long as you stop wriggling about  
like that I would be content to stay where I am and rest like you  
wanted me to." He relaxed and leaned forward, and Kiyone  
almost instinctively put an arm around him as he came to rest  
upon her.  
  
"Well I did say I wanted you to rest on my bed… but not with  
me stuck between you and its surface." She answered softly,  
her hand ever so gently stroking his back. She could still feel  
the deep long scar line left by Nagi's whip, and the  
unevenness in his flesh courtesy of the burnt marks from the  
explosion.  
  
"Believe me… I could never rest easy without you by my side."  
He whispered, his lips just brushing by her ear. He could feel  
her closeness, her warmth and her full, womanly form…  
  
"Then I'm very sorry to inform you that once we are through  
with your past, you will never rest easy." Kiyone giggled as  
she felt him press upon her.  
  
Kova blinked, unsure if that was an invitation or a threat, then  
quickly decided it must be the former. "Well, appetisers first,  
then." He let his lips brush her ear again, only this time, he held  
it a little longer, just letting the tip of his tongue touch her  
earlobe, and grinned as he felt Kiyone tense up. "Bon  
appetit?"  
  
Kiyone gave a soft sigh, full of burning passion, as she felt her  
heart beat faster, her skin flush warm and she almost gave in  
to the flame…  
  
But… I can't.  
  
"No thank you," she opened her eyes, moving from him, and  
Kova looked evenly as she turned her gaze on him. "We really  
can't…" Her eyes hardened as she saw his expression on her,  
loving, tender, yet almost bitter, like he was denying himself,  
while it seemed ripples of emotions ran across his face,  
causing his form to quiver against hers. "You never had the  
intention of loving me, did you?" Kova pressed his lips  
together before her accusation. "You chose this time, and  
place, simply because you knew no matter what, even if we  
both succumbed, we couldn't."  
  
He nodded, lowering his gaze, and at the same time he moved  
slightly to one side of her. Kiyone glared once more, then sat  
up on the bed, staring at the other one opposite the room,  
Mihoshi's, as Kova settled back down by her side, watching  
the ceiling as he lay down. "Kiyone-chan, I don't want to,  
unless…" But even then she could see it was gone now,  
except for the slight tingling of the lip, which passed as his  
words faded way.  
  
"Shut up," she snarled.   
  
There were some moments of silence, the two of them side by  
side, yet alone, their own thoughts racing through their heads,  
yet somehow, going in the same direction.  
  
"So any ideas what to do about them?" Kiyone broke the ice.  
"They obviously aren't going to let us go."  
  
"I know. They might start any time now." Kova answered, the  
barest touch of cold in his voice.  
  
"What's your options?" Upset though she was, she still cared  
more for his options than her own.  
  
"I could eliminate sections of the fleet using my Tachyon Ray,  
you could turn me in, I could EMP them , and I could run away  
on my own." His voice was even and composed.   
  
"Running away and meeting up later…?"  
  
"We're short of time, we can't risk Seida actually getting a  
working version of the Ray." Kova pointed out. "Besides… I  
wouldn't rest easy knowing you'd be taken into custody when  
Seida obviously wants you, and all of us, dead. Even the GP  
are not entirely free of the Synerean influence."  
  
"Sounds like you only have one option, then." Kiyone sighed.  
"What's your efficiency?"  
  
"Low, given the size of this fleet. At best the beam can only  
affect up to five ships with every shot, and using the field will  
only disable a relatively small part of the fleet at any one time."  
  
Kiyone bit her lip. "Looks like we have no choice. Till then, we  
will have to make do." She felt Kova take her hand, and  
squeeze it gently.  
  
"Take care, Kiyone-chan." He murmured, his voice trembling,  
and she could hear the fear in it.  
  
"Don't worry," she smiled weakly, turning to face him once  
again. "Apart from Ryo-oh-ki, we now have Midorishu with us.  
It won't happen again."  
  
"It hurt…" he whispered, bowing his head. "…bad."  
  
"I know." The detective let her forced cheeriness fade away. "I  
felt it too."  
  
There was a deep breath from Kova, then as he exhaled  
slowly… "How pathetic we are. Before we met, I would have  
faced this without any fear, and I know you would have, too."  
He looked up at her, his eyes smouldering in what seemed to  
be anger. "Don't you feel cheated?"  
  
"I do." Kiyone smiled, this time genuinely. "We're in love."  
  
Kova laughed weakly, trying to sound cold and biting and  
mocking, to both himself and her, but as his laughter  
manifested it became mirthful in its own right, to his own  
astonishment and Kiyone's delight.  
  
"So, how does it feel?" she asked gently, as she watched his  
face light up even in the growing dark.  
  
Unable to resist, Kova grinned at her, if a little reluctantly, his  
sapphire eyes glimmering brightly. "I wouldn't exchange this  
feeling for the entire universe."  
  
"Thought so," Kiyone noted wryly, not that her emerald eyes  
were in any way lacking the lustre of his. "So now that we're  
through with the mush, why don't you get to your post?"  
  
"Yes ma'am!" He raised his hand to his foreead in a parody of  
the GP honorary salute, even as he got up, his conversation  
with her seemingly returning him to his usual swiftness.  
  
"Oh, and don't forget to…" Kiyone's voice trailed off as she  
saw he had gone. "…rest."   
  
====================================  
  
"You do not seem to understand the situation here, captain.  
Things are quite the opposite of what they seem out there."  
  
"But sir, detective Kiyone has given her word the fugitive is not  
on her ship, and Operative 231 has backed up her statement.  
Not to mention a direct disregard for their words is likely to  
initiate a series of hostilities from princess Aeka as well as  
Lord Tenchi and Professor Washu…"  
  
"Well," the Chief murmured. "Yet on the other hand we have  
the word of at least two other extremely dependable sources  
that the said criminal is indeed on board the…"  
  
"Excuse me, Chief, if you please…" a cool, gentle voice calmly  
interrupted. "But did I heard someone mention the princess  
Aeka?"  
  
The Chief tilted their heads slightly to look at the man on the  
third transmission screen who had been merely overseeing  
this operation that his side claimed to have such high stakes  
in.   
  
"What about it, sir?" the squadron captain asked.   
  
"I do believe there has been some mistake…" a thin smile  
curled about his face, causing his thick raven moustache to  
shift slightly up. "I have just forwarded some enquiries to Jurai  
and they have assured me that the princess Aeka is in fact, still  
back on Jurai…"  
  
"Is *that* so?" the captain arched an eyebrow sceptically, and  
seemed more than a little taken aback. "She certainly seemed  
regal enough to me…"  
  
"I hope you can substantiate that piece of information, captain  
Dosonoi," the Chief replied evenly as he sat back in his  
armchair, clasping his hands before his barely noticeable  
paunch.  
  
"Well that I certainly can do, gentlemen, so if you'll allow me…"  
quickly the signals flashed across the screen to the  
commands of the Synerean ship captain, and they beheld a  
fourth transmission screen open up, putting them in to Jurai.  
  
The GP squad captain frowned, suspicious, though his Chief  
seemed perfectly at ease. Sure enough, after the while it took  
for the signal to travel across the intervening cosmos, they  
recognised what was certainly the interior of the Juraian  
palace, and…  
  
"Good day, your Highness," the Synerean bowed to the image  
of the princess on the screen.  
  
"What is it now?" Princess Aeka opened one eye from where  
she had been caught almost nodding off on the throne…  
"You've certainly kept me waiting long enough!"  
  
"There has been some news of notable interest for you, your  
Highness." The thin smile on the Synerean's face became  
even broader. "Squad captain, sir, if you please?"  
  
The GP squad captain arched an eyebrow at his Chief through  
the transmission, who pressed his lips together, for the  
readout of the location of the transmission source as well as  
voice matching corresponded exactly to the co-ordinates of  
the Juraian palace and that of their crown princess exactly…  
  
Catching the curt nod and the grave look on his superior's  
face, "Well, you see, your Highness…"  
  
=================================  
  
"Sights locked on enemy," she murmured. "Washu, anything  
yet?"  
  
"Not yet, but it won't be long now." The professor replied.  
"Ready to intercept any command sent out by their flagship."  
  
"Ryo-oh-ki's on the alert, and I've got some red peppers at the  
ready." Ryoko added. "And we'll try not to hurt them…" she  
grinned, despite the odds. "…too much."  
  
"Well, I guess that's the best I can hope for from you," Kiyone  
turned to the Midorishu. "Seion, decided on your course of  
action?"   
  
"Check," the operative replied grimly.  
  
"I would like to remind you, Kiyone, that we are taking only  
evasive action, and that is only *if* there is a hostile reaction  
from the squad escorting us." Mitsuki emphasised, almost too  
emphatically.  
  
"I don't like this, Kiyone." Mihoshi whispered, as she looked at  
Seion and Mitsuki through the transmission. "I think  
something's wrong..."  
  
"Oh, I'm sure," Kiyone murmured sarcastically.   
  
Of course something is wrong you twit! Here we are, three  
ships peacefully cruising along, then we are surrounded by an  
'escort' of over sixty GP patrol crafts, and you only *think*  
something is wrong?  
  
She licked her lips tensely.   
  
Well at least if there's someone I don't have to worry about, it's  
Kova.  
  
"Kiyone-chan, I'm not waiting any longer."  
  
"Huh?" Kiyone stared in surprise at the third screen that had  
just popped up. "But Kova-chan, you said you would…"  
  
"I don't care." He ground his teeth together. "I'm no cop, so I  
sure as hell don't have to sit here and wait for my friends to be  
massacred." He raised a hand up for silence as he saw her  
mouth open again. "I don't want to risk you, not now, and not  
ever again. Meet me at Colrathius if we lose touch."  
  
"Wait a minute!" Kiyone tried. "*What* exactly is it you intend to  
do?"  
  
"If I had to I'd kill every single last person in the universe just to  
be sure I'll be with you." He replied, his eyes gazing hard on  
her, cold unfeeling sapphires that seemed to radiate the  
strongest of wills.  
  
For a moment, Kiyone felt an icy sliver of fear pierce her heart.  
  
What is this monster that I have fallen for?  
  
"Don't worry, Kiyone-chan!" he smiled suddenly, banishing his  
chill and steely expression, and the demons in her heart fled  
from the light of his expression. "You know I wouldn't."  
  
And before she could reply, the screen to the Shuriken  
blanked out.  
  
=================================  
  
I have deep misgivings about this.  
  
Squad captain Hushira mulled over his thoughts.   
  
But going against a direct order, with clear evidence backing it  
up? Everything in my mind tells me I should do this, yet my  
heart doesn't say so…  
  
"Prepare for engagement," he heard his lips say. "Objectives –  
disable all three ships. If need be, destroy the Yagami and  
Ryo-oh-ki. The Midorishu is to be preserved at any cost."  
  
"Affirmative," he heard from his various squadron  
commanders.  
  
"Now, wave one, prepare to…"  
  
"Captain!" He heard an urgent cry. "Squadron under attack!"  
  
"What!? Details, SC7?"  
  
"I've just lost contact with four of my five ships!"  
  
Whew, he thought as he noted the GU ships from squad 7  
were still present. "Any…"   
  
"No enemies in sight, sir!"  
  
"Scan the vicinity using the link to my ship, lieutenant!" the  
Synerean Captain Dosonoi, still visible on Hushira's screen,  
quickly ordered the GP squadron commander. "The lives of  
your men are at stake!"  
  
There was a flash of red from the direct visual view into space,  
and instinctively Hushira spun his wheel to one side, and there  
was a shudder as a yellow beam struck his ship's shield.   
  
"DAMNED!" He cried, but his quick reactions had saved his  
life, for the beam, rather than plunging into the engine core of  
the ship after piercing through the shield, just brushed by only  
the metal outer side of the craft before striking and dissipating  
on the inside of another portion of his shield.  
  
"They're attacking!" He heard SC2 cry, moments before the  
ship SD-7942, of squadron 2, vanished from within his  
command list to a 'SHIP DESTROYED' wording.  
  
Swearing an oath, he quickly gave the order. "All ships,  
engage!"   
  
"Enemy spotted." SC7 noted. "Request back-up from squads  
5 and 9."  
  
"Approved," he replied, as his ship unleashed light blue beams  
towards the three ships in the centre of the circle.   
  
"Roger, moving in," Hushira heard SC5 and SC9 reply.  
  
"Enemy stats?" Scarlet beams just streaked by his ship. It was  
fortunate that, contrary to his superior's recommendation, he  
insisted his flagship be a destroyer class cruiser rather than a  
battleship, thus providing the mobility that had saved his life  
so far.  
  
"Miniature, extremely quick. Break formation and fan out as  
you approach!"  
  
=================================  
  
"Huh?" Nobuyuki looked up from the game as Katsuhito was  
deliberating his next move, towards the window, as he saw the  
ships outside clustering around. "Hey grandpa, isn't it funny  
that… WOOAAH!" He cried as out of the darkness several  
streaks of cerulean burst out towards the ship, and the next  
instant the view from the window was spinning and winding  
away chaotically.  
  
"I see," Katsuhito placed his piece down. "No more than what I  
expected." His eyes went to the universe, now bursting with  
laserfire amidst the darkness. "And it's your turn."  
  
=================================  
  
"Wow…" Mihoshi murmured.  
  
Kiyone cursed again as she pulled Yagami out of the dive  
towards DF-5191, letting the enemy's lasers just streak by  
under the hull, and the beams from behind just brushed by the  
back of the Yagami's shield. "Damnit Mihoshi why didn't you  
fire!? That angle was bloody perfect!"  
  
"Huh? I thought you were just moving…" The Yagami spun  
through 270 degrees before arcing obliquely away to head off  
a salvo of enemy beams.  
  
"MIHOSHI! I have to concentrate on steering! Just fire at them  
with the tracer, the tractor beams, the gyro rays, the  
anti-gravity missiles, whatever!" The 3D radar diagram  
registered at least twelve ships actively engaging them, with  
the rest engaging Ryo-oh-ki and the Midorishu.  
  
"WOAH!" Mihoshi cried as Kiyone spun the ship a full turn,  
which had a net effect of doing a screeching brake, and the  
beams aimed right before it just missed in front to plunge into  
an enemy GP ship, where they merely dissipated on the shield.  
"Oh my god Kiyone you're fabulous! How did you do that!?"  
  
"Drat!" Kiyone broke out into cold sweat as another volley just  
missed the ferrari red craft as it went through the radius of its  
braking circle, brushing against the right side. "I hate lousy  
pilots! Can't they just fire towards the logically correct  
coordinates of the enemy!?" For those beams would have  
missed completely if Kiyone had driven straight ahead, but in  
this case only the large radius of the spin prevented the salvo  
from ripping apart the Yagami's midsection. "MIHOSHI! Do  
something!"  
  
"Uhh…" Mihoshi deliberated an instant, then pressed the red  
button.  
  
"Not that one!" Her partner screamed as half of the  
transmission screen vanished to show the view of their  
bedroom.   
  
"Oops… sorry."   
  
Kiyone spun the control as she struck the reverse switch,  
taking Yagami into an upward oblique reverse tailspin. Seizing  
the respite as the startled enemy started, she hit the control to  
clear away the interfering transmission, while a GP ship behind  
backed into the line of fire of another ship, only to have the  
deadly cerulean lasers dissipate on its shield harmlessly.  
  
"Washu, we need their beam decoder!" Kiyone snarled as she  
noted that, still taking care to keep her eyes on the screen. "Or  
we won't be able to break out!" The Yagami shuddered as  
another hit scored, albeit not directly hitting any vital parts. It  
was a tribute to Kiyone's skill it had taken but a few hits so far,  
which were effectively absorbed by Washu's improved  
shielding system, but there could be no doubt a prolonged  
engagement would result in a rather terminal conclusion. Right  
from the start she had had to pour all her attention into evasive  
manoeuvres, and by now the taxation was starting to show.  
  
"Hey, things aren't that easy here, you know," Washu pointed  
out, not that she seemed to mean what she said. The scientist  
was apparently sitting down on the floor of the Ryo-oh-ki,  
calmly typing away on her spectral terminal. "I'm trying to get a  
lead on this, there seems to be other crafts in this."  
  
"What is it you need, Kiyone?" Tenchi interrupted. He was  
holding Aeka to him, trying to steady her, while Ryoko was too  
busy directing Ryo-oh-ki's beams and evasions to notice.  
Overall the boy seemed to be taking it rather well, perhaps  
because he had another to take care of.  
  
"Oh NO!" Sasami shouted as a large band of light blue blazed  
towards Ryo-oh-ki. Swerving itself aside, the Ryo-oh-ki just  
managed to avoid the beam. "Oh… whew!"  
  
"Grr, I'll get you for that!" Ryoko swore, and a stream of  
crimson fire blazed from her ship towards the enemy ship,  
though there really wasn't time for Ryoko or Ryo-oh-ki to see if  
it had struck home before the cabbit craft spun and pulled  
away again.  
  
"Really, Sasami," Aeka chided her little sister, not withstanding  
her own fears. "You ought to put more faith in Ryo-oh-ki."  
  
"Just a moment now, Tenchi," Washu smiled to herself as she  
worked leisurely away. While she seemed to be sitting on the  
floor of the ship, it was worth noting that as the rest stumbled  
now and then to a direct or indirect hit, Washu never seemed  
to be disturbed in the least. "I think I might just have something  
you can help me with…"  
  
"Really?" The boy asked, surprised. All he had ever  
understood from ship battles was that he was to hang around,  
pretend to be comforting the other people and not look too  
frightened of being vaporised.  
  
"And Kiyone, you need to concentrate…"  
  
The detective, lost in the situation, didn't register as Washu  
casually cut the transmission off.  
  
"Miyaa?" Ryo-oh-ki cried in surprise as within her sights, a pair  
of shuttles, each roughly a quarter of the size of the average  
spacecraft, shimmered out of nothingness within the airspace.  
Dimly it could be made out that their surfaces were subject to a  
cloaking field, hence an ethereal texture to them. One was  
close to Yagami, firing alternately at the GP crafts and  
Ryo-oh-ki, while the other one was trailing after Midorishu but  
firing at Yagami and the various GP crafts with a variety of  
beams.  
  
"Oh!!" Aeka exclaimed in surprise. "So they were the ones who  
started all this!"  
  
"I knew they were there all along from the moment that beam  
just appeared out of nothingness to destroy that ship. They  
too are the ones that are keeping this battle going, or the GP  
would have noticed by now the Yagami and the Midorishu  
aren't returning fire," Washu noted wryly, watching the figures  
on her computer intently. "I just need to check certain things  
about them…"  
  
"You mean they shot that poor ship in cold blood?" Sasami  
exclaimed, surprised. "How could they?"  
  
"Is that so?" Ryoko laughed. "You really have to get to know  
me someday, Sasami…"  
  
"Locked on Synerean craft…" Even as Washu intoned, the  
dimensional door lying on the floor at the back of Ryo-oh-ki's  
bridge suddenly righted itself to lean against the wall.  
  
"Miyah!!!?" Ryo-oh-ki shrieked, as the spacecraft swerved  
wildly before suddenly descending down then sweeping right.  
  
"WASHU!" Ryoko spun on her heel to turn from the window to  
space and face Washu. "What the HELL do you think you are  
doing!?"  
  
"Relax, Ryoko." Washu grinned. "I need to close the distance."  
  
"MIIIIYYYYAAAA!" Ryo-oh-ki cried out in fear as a salvo of  
beams streamed towards her from a variety of directions, but  
something seemed to be wrong, she couldn't change her  
course…  
  
There was a collective sigh of relief as a rapid counter spin by  
the cabbit-ship sent the beams ricocheting off an angle to her  
shields.  
  
Aeka her face pale, turned to face Washu, before announcing.  
"I demand you cease this at once!"  
  
"Miya!" Ryo-oh-ki added.  
  
"Hey I'm just borrowing Ryo-oh-ki for a while…" If anything,  
the scientist seemed more delighted with the glares of anger  
and fear from Ryoko and Aeka. "Now stop glaring at me like  
that, you two will have to help Tenchi."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Not bad, we're getting closer," the professor grinned  
wickedly, as the door slid open, the void beyond solidifying  
from semi-transparent jet and shimmering with touches of  
silver as though ripples were passing over it. "Now Tenchi,  
and those who will wish to accompany him, kindly step this  
way…"  
  
=================================  
  
!!!!  
  
Nothing short of pure reflexes would have done the job, and  
nothing short of pure reflexes did it.   
  
How in the world…!?  
  
Only now did he feel his pulse race as his craft swung out from  
its comfortable cruise, pulling away from the rays streaming  
towards him. Looking out at the universe, he saw the silver  
blue enemy ships falling away from each other to spread  
themselves out, even as more rushed in from various  
directions.   
  
They must have spotted me!  
  
How they did, though, was a question that did not even  
impinge on his consciousness, for already the Shuriken was  
whirling like a bullet away from the beams as he savoured the  
adrenaline rush he had not felt since the Wanderer had fallen  
to ruin. The craft was so small a single ray could envelop the  
entire craft, and although it would be unlikely that a hit would  
be immediately fatal, due to the shields, there was only so  
much that a craft meant to be invisible could take.  
  
The pilots of the incoming crafts swooping in for the kill all  
started as they saw the tiny red blip on their radar move out of  
its gentle cruise.  
  
Damn that thing is fast! Thought SC5.   
  
"Fire! Engage aiming systems, or it will get away!"  
  
Unable to see the miniature spacecraft against the vast void  
that was the universe, dotted with other light blue crafts, the  
GP pilots let their ships' computers engage their aiming  
systems, with only timing subject to the pilots' judgement, and  
streams of laserfire burst out as the Shuriken zigzagged  
erratically in space.  
  
Come on!  
  
Kova ground his teeth as he spun the craft away and  
diagonally down, while taking care not to maintain consistent  
speed, opening fire as he did so. Although the many shots  
whirling around the Shuriken were obscuring his sights, his  
senses and detectors still served him well amidst the lines of  
light blue bursting through the space about…  
  
"I'm h…!"  
  
SC9 swore as his squad mate got cut off to a almost invisible  
bolt of misty silvery white struck the friendly ship, setting off a  
barely visible ripple in the matter in the vicinity of the stricken  
ship LQ-2793, which stopped it dead in its tracks.   
  
Well at least we spread out… SC9 thought as he briefly  
glimpsed the four frozen ships from squadron 7 amidst the  
blue shots. At least they aren't casualties… I hope.  
  
"Tighten the firing ring!" SC9 ordered, but another misty silver  
disturbance in the air just close by SC5's RM-4538 gave SC9  
cause for concern, for he respected SC5 as a good pilot, yet  
the beam, whatever it was, had just barely missed his  
compatriot's ship. "Back us up, squad 8!"   
  
Kova smiled as the ships' fire changed in an attempt to hem  
his ship into a small space for the kill, but nevertheless he just  
managed to weave the Shuriken into safety before the deadly  
net of beams closed, even as another six crafts disengaged  
from the fray with the Midorishu, Yagami and Ryo-oh-ki to turn  
to him.  
  
Interesting, this is almost worth it all. Not to mention the odds  
are better for Kiyone now…  
  
A blaze of blue enveloped the Shuriken momentarily, and for a  
moment as the craft quivered as if it would fall to pieces, but  
the next instant it was clear and away, to the rapid thumps of  
his heart.  
  
The odds are stacking.  
  
The smile turned into a ghoulish grin.  
  
Just the way I like it.  
  
=================================  
  
Seion sighed, before helping himself to the last shot from the  
bottle.   
  
This is great, just about the most fun I could ever get… if only.  
  
He looked at Mitsuki, hard at work at the controls. Even with  
Midorishu's advanced auto-pilot with evasive capabilities  
activated, it helped significantly that the red-headed one was in  
the seat, for during the days at the academy, she had been  
second to none save one.  
  
I don't get it, why can't I ever seem to pick this up?  
  
His brows furrowed for a moment in determination as the  
whiskey dribbled down over his throat to soak against his  
uniform, then the empty bottle was sent spinning away…  
  
Now is NOT the time to do *this*!!!!  
  
Something screamed this at him from the back of his mind, but  
Operative 231, assisted by what had once occupied the thing  
that shattered against the walls of the Midorishu, casually  
gagged, trussed up and booted away his common sense.   
  
"Huh!?" Mitsuki's eyes widened as the Midorishu suddenly  
swerved into the path of a beam cluster, and its speed bar  
shuddered downward as the sudden manoeuvre lost the ship  
speed, causing it to just pass behind the enemy fire. "Get away  
from THERE!" She shouted to Seion, who had just settled  
down in the other pilot seat.  
  
"Hey, share some of the fun, willya?" He grinned boyishly at  
her.  
  
Mitsuki's eyes widened, and she very nearly threw herself at  
Seion, before another shot loomed high on the screen.  
"WATCH OUT!"  
  
The two of them simultaneously reacted, only Seion, thinking  
he was swinging the craft to the left, pulled a stationary left  
turn, even as Mitsuki swung diagonally right and upwards.  
  
"Hey, this feels great!" The Operative laughed as the jet ship  
spun away upwards like a plane that had been struck in one  
wing, only that while planes spin earthwards as they fall away,  
this one spun upwards and away…  
  
"You're MAD!" Mitsuki shouted back in frustration, then  
inspiration struck, and she flicked open the captain's control  
box…   
  
"Alpha controls disabled." The feminine voice of the Midorishu  
sounded.  
  
Seion blinked as he tried the controls again, to no effect.  
"HEY!"  
  
But Mitsuki was too busy to bother as she just brought the  
craft out of the spin to weave around more salvoes, the  
moment of distraction nearly costing them dear.  
  
Operative 231 growled. "First class detective Mitsuki, I *order*  
you to…"  
  
There was a flicker across the screen, then he had spun  
around to face the monitor, as the transmission appeared.  
  
"Seion, why *are* you resisting arrest!?" The face of Squad  
Captain Hushira boomed.  
  
For a reply, Hushira watched as Seion stood up, ever so  
slowly, like a formidable giant rising out of the chair, and  
several seconds of silence passed as the emerald orbs that  
were his eyes fixed onto him, seeming to enlarge and grow to  
surround him.  
  
"Seion!?" he asked, surprised.  
  
The Operative lowered his gaze, but his anger was palpable.  
"Sensei, you know bloody hell why."  
  
"How dare you, you…!"  
  
"Something is wrong." Seion's gaze met his again. "You sense  
that, you *know* that… like me. Only I do what I feel is right,  
and that is my duty."  
  
There was a moment of stunned silence from the captain, then,  
"I ORDER you to surrender yourself and your ship!"  
  
"Duty calls." Seion gave him a cold smirk. "*Sir*."  
  
"Sei…!!" The next moment the transmission was cut off.  
  
Throwing himself back down back into Alpha pilot's seat, there  
was a moment of brooding silence, then the next moment  
Seion's arm slammed into the armrest of the seat. There was  
some ragged breathing, as his face contorted into a visage of  
fury and misgiving, then as he raised his arm again to hold his  
head, there could be seen clearly the mark of his arm on the  
metal…  
  
Mitsuki, who had seemingly been occupied with the situation  
the whole time, smiled to herself.  
  
Another transmission flashed on, and Seion half stood up,  
almost about to shoot back some remarks, when he realised it  
was Washu.  
  
"I see things don't look too good with you either," Washu  
noted composedly. "Tenchi's moving in to capture their beam  
decoder on board the Synerean craft, and once we have it we  
might be able to get out of this."  
  
"No problemo," Seion sat back giving her the thumbs up,  
numb to the chaos in the space about him. "My Midorishu will  
be flying high when you get to it."  
  
No thanks to you if that happens, Mitsuki thought, sweat  
beading on her brow.  
  
"Heh, you ain't half-bad for cop."  
  
"I ain't never been no chicken, and I ain't gonna start being one  
now."  
  
"Maybe," the professor swivelled her eye a bit to the side. "But  
someone might."  
  
Seion blinked as the transmission went off, then his eyes went  
to his colleague at Delta pilot controls.   
  
She hasn't questioned my actions so far…  
  
His jaw fixed stolidly as he gazed upon her.  
  
Best be careful.  
  
=================================  
  
I'm growing soft.   
  
The Ken-oh-ki watched the battle detachedly.  
  
Who would have thought the great Nagi would be letting the  
GP do the dirty work for her?  
  
She shook her head, trying to uproot the disturbing thought.  
  
I have let others, even scum, do my dirty work before… why  
should I be taken aback now?  
  
Even before she properly acknowledged that, a brief pinprick  
of pain pentrated her consciousness, and she cursed her own  
weakness.   
  
But I doubt he'd fall so easily.   
  
True enough, for while outnumbered, they were clearly holding  
their own, although it puzzled Nagi why a rather large group of  
GP ships seemed to be tied up dealing with what seemed to be  
empty space.  
  
And even if he did, I'd get the money…  
  
For an instant, the darkness of the bridge of Ken-oh-ki was  
shattered by a burst of purple light, then it darkened to  
blackness again, broken only by the sound of hissing breath  
through clenched teeth.  
  
The money doesn't count damnit! You know that now, you  
knew that all along, and you were just kidding yourself all  
along… and so what if it's a lot!? No amount of money will  
return you to those days of old… That part of your life is over,  
and that person you once were is dead.  
  
The blue eyes hardened to frosty ice.  
  
All that matters is the hunt, the prey, and the challenge.  
  
Her knuckles whitened against her whip, but the weapon did  
not flare up from its handle.  
  
I've grown now. There is nothing left for me, but I can, and will,  
survive on nothing.  
  
====================================  
  
"Ryoko, take care of Aeka…" Tenchi set his lips grimly  
together as he looked down the corridor of the Synerean  
shuttle. He could still remember the turrets, the guns popping  
out at various angles, and he remembered the doors, or rather,  
a specific door.  
  
And I'm not going to be taken down by a 'door' again…  
  
"I don't need to be taken care of!" Aeka glared indignantly  
Ryoko. "I might still hurt, but I can take care of myself."  
  
"Tenchi said…"  
  
"Well, who really counts?" Thus did the princess cut the pirate  
off first, to the mild surprise of Ryoko, who somehow did not  
expect she would ever let that pass. "Me, or Tenchi?"  
  
Ryoko gave her a withering look, as Tenchi disappeared round  
the corner, sword in hand. "All right, then." That there hadn't  
been any visible reception, as far as she could tell, worried her.  
She vanished to appear around the corner.  
  
Tenchi paused a moment to catch his breath, the blaze of blue  
trailing him coming to rest, and Ryoko stared as she saw him  
beyond the four guards, even as Aeka moved up beside her,  
her breathing a little ragged, but otherwise fine wrapped within  
her shimmering shield, which, though lesser than on previous  
occasions, was still formidable.  
  
The Synerean guards stared from princess to pirate, then  
turned around to look at Tenchi, whose back was faced to  
them, then the clattering sound of four pieces of metal falling to  
the ground milliseconds after one another reverberated  
through the passage, shattering the silence.  
  
"Please," Tenchi whispered, and though they could not see  
his face they knew his expression was grim. "I don't wish to  
hurt anyone."  
  
As one, the guards lay what remained of their weapons,  
namely the handles, on the ground, and stepped aside to let  
Ryoko and Aeka pass through.  
  
"Which way to the bridge?" Aeka demanded, as she went  
between the men.  
  
The Synerean gave her an odd look, almost as though he were  
offended, and though he was unarmed while the air around  
Aeka pulsed with cerulean power, there was something in his  
demeanour that gave Aeka pause, before a stoic silence  
ensued.  
  
"Hey!" Ryoko suddenly reached over and grabbed the man by  
the collar, lifting him off the floor with only a hand. "She asked  
you a question!" The guard's eye widened, and his expression  
tensed as if expecting some blow to be meted out, but the  
stolid look remained unmoved. Amber eyes narrowed to slits  
and orange sparks spat from her hand, giving a ghastly hue to  
the man's face, but all that changed on his face was that he  
seemed resignedly expectant, awaiting the blast that would  
send him to oblivion.  
  
Then the light died.  
  
"Forget it, Ryoko," Aeka whispered.  
  
Ryoko looked at Aeka behind her, with one hand placed on her  
shoulder, then she reluctantly lowered the man down. "After all  
they've done, how they've hurt us… you're going to let them  
get go just like that?"  
  
The princess shook her head reprovingly. "You know it's not  
them."  
  
The man appeared unmoved as Ryoko shoved him back and  
away from her, though he did wince as his body struck the  
side of the wall. "Count your lucky stars, man." Then she spun  
on her heel, moving off towards Tenchi… "Tenchi?" she  
asked, as they drew nearer the boy, who seemed stunned.   
  
Tenchi blinked, as he recovered his senses. "Uh… yeah!" he  
scratched his head nervously. "I'm fine." Ryoko looked  
curiously at him, but he thought he saw from over her  
shoulder, Aeka smile sweetly at him.  
  
It wasn't a palpable feeling, or something definite that he could  
put his finger on. It was just this feeling that had seemed so  
elusive at times… a harmony, a blending of chords from mere  
raw noise, and where once only cacophony existed, the ghost  
of a melody could be found in the making…  
  
"Let's get going, it can't be easy out there for them," Aeka  
interrupted his train of thought before he could make full sense  
of it.  
  
"Erm… okay!" Tenchi nodded, dumbly. It was a stupid  
reaction, he knew, but some things just came along and  
knocked you on the head, especially when and where you  
least expect it, and after that you were just barely able to take  
what comes along. Not that he noticed.  
  
Several turns and about twenty guards later, they arrived at  
what they felt certain was the entrance to the bridge.  
  
Tenchi stared at it, warily, while Aeka and Ryoko tensed up  
behind him, all of them with the same thoughts on their minds.  
  
No cyborgs, no gun turrets, not even marines… the men here  
never even got to fire a shot, even though their loyalty to the  
Synerean cause was unquestionable… too easy …  
  
Standing an arm's length from the door, Tenchi bit his lip, and  
raised Tenchi-ken, preparing to dive aside at the least sign of  
any threat.  
  
Well, here goes…  
  
The blaze of blue arced down and into the door.  
  
=================================  
  
Logic dictates that where a battle of such magnitude occurs in  
such a dilapidated border sector between Juraian and  
Synerean territory, there are bound to be interlopers, even if  
they are prudent enough to keep a respectable distance away.  
  
"What do you think, Kul?"   
  
"Strange…" a gruff voice whispered. Kuldarian seemed to be  
an older man, with streaks of white mixed in his blonde hair,  
forehead wrinkled from much furrowing, and a long scar along  
the side of his face, but nevertheless, under his ragged simple  
shirts and pants, topped by an old leather vest, he was still as  
lean and mean as he ever was. "There is more than meets the  
eyes."   
  
His various compatriots, dressed in richer clothes more suited  
to their 'income', nodded to the words of their leader as they  
awaited his verdict.  
  
Moments of silence passed, as the motley company of grey  
battle-scarred ships, their surfaces punctuated here and there  
with shining pieces of newly fitted armaments and repairs,  
watched the distant bursts and flashes of light within the  
formidable ring of GP crafts.  
  
"Interesting." Kuldarian whispered. "The Ryo-oh-ki lies  
within."  
  
"That would make that red GP ship the Yagami." Pylcarde, his  
lieutenant and a veteran in his own right, added. "And there  
seems to be another black rebel GP ship nearby. Do we wait,  
Kul?"  
  
"Most certainly. There's something big out there." His eyes  
flashed with menace born of uncertainty. "In case you didn't  
notice, Pyl, Nagi is here."  
  
"Nagi? Why should she be here!?" Pylcarde expressed  
surprise before he finally caught the shine of silver off the  
surface of Ken-oh-ki.  
  
"Then there's that cluster of GP ships over there seeming  
winging around and battling with nothing… except there's at  
least seven of them immobile." His eyes narrowed warily, but  
he smiled. "I'm sure we won't want that 'nothing' as a foe,  
would we?"  
  
"No offence, Kul, but much as I would like a pal like that I  
wouldn't appreciate making enemies of his enemies. Don't  
even talk about those foes we don't know, the ones here  
would be enough."  
  
Kuldarian gave a cold laugh. "That's the problem with you, Pyl,  
you care too much about risks. Just to let you know, indeed,  
these ones aren't the only ones out there…"  
  
Pylcarde's eyes widened as he made out, even further away, a  
fleet of at least another ten Synerean craft watching, and  
waiting. "What the…!?"  
  
"So you see, our 'friend' out there is unlikely to be able to get  
through this on his own." There was a cold gleam from the  
brown eyes. "He probably would appreciate some help."  
  
"Whatever you say, Kul, but seriously, why do this?" Pylcarde  
did not seem surprised by his commander's decision to take  
on what seemed to be ridiculous odds.   
  
"Heh, if we pull this off right, there'll be war." The blonde leader  
of the gang grinned. "And as with war, you know the rules."  
His eye glimmered with the light of the distant battle. "They  
beat the crap out of each other, and we get to take everything  
in between."   
  
"Is that all, Kul?" Pylcarde smiled knowingly at the notion. "I've  
known you for too long, and that can't be the only thing, can  
it?"   
  
"Cross my heart and hope to die."  
  
=================================  
  
Captain Dosonoi shook his head half in wonder and half in  
dismay as he saw the red beep indicative of enemy activity  
within shuttle 6382PX.  
  
Damn him to hell, how in the blue blazes does he know all  
this? They're cloaked, and besides, there are over fifty other  
decoders on the GP ships… how the freak does he do all this!?  
  
His finger twitched over the control button. A single flick, a  
quick touch, and the shuttle would quite simply, self-destruct.  
  
Quick, simple, clean.  
  
No… there must be some way I can outwit *him*…  
  
The shadow of yet another GP craft passed over the line of  
sight as he fixed his eyes on the Yagami and the Shuriken, at  
least where his advanced detection system indicated it was,  
and quite suddenly, inspiration struck…  
  
=================================  
  
Too easy…  
  
Tenchi looked around the controls, with the ruined door  
behind him as Ryoko, grinning maniacally, with both energy  
blasts forming up in both hands, hemmed the terrified five man  
crew of the shuttle into a corner, while Aeka kept a look out for  
more guards approaching the bridge. He didn't worry about  
Ryoko hurting the crew though, no doubt she was just having  
her own form of fun.  
  
Where is that thing?  
  
A quick scan, then Tenchi quickly reached behind his back  
with one hand to remove the detector.  
  
Luckily Washu foresaw this possibility.  
  
Facing the device and watching intently for a hint of the  
decoder, Tenchi did not notice the shuttle was starting to move  
on its own, nor did anyone else.  
  
There… he watched as the base of the controls flash red, then  
the detector released the casement controls, causing a section  
to open up and reveal the decoder, a dirty grey cylinder about  
a forty centimetres in diameter, its length embedded within the  
ship's controls interior.  
  
Two locks clockwise, three anti, then one clockwise, he read  
off the detector Washu handed him.  
  
Putting Tenchi-ken aside, the boy took hold of the device's  
handle with both hands, and turned it clockwise to the sound  
of two clicks, then anti-clockwise…  
  
=================================  
  
"Squad captain? Hushira?"  
  
"What is it, captain Dosonoi!?" Hushira tried to keep the  
frustration in his voice down. He had long since ceased trying  
to fire upon the Midorishu, lest he accidentally score a vital hit,  
and was irked that he was unable to communicate with Seion  
and move him into submission. The pilot of the Midorishu was  
obviously someone skilled, certainly not Seion, but seeing the  
manoeuvres, he doubted that the person would be his match  
should he set his mind to bringing the ship down.  
  
"The space pirate Ryoko, the impostor Aeka and the earthling  
Tenchi have breached one of our reconnaissance shuttles  
near Ryo-oh-ki!"  
  
"I don't see any Synerean shuttles around."  
  
"They're cloaked… that's why they're used for  
reconnaissance." Dosonoi urged urgently. "Quick inform your  
men to be on the look out!"  
  
"Very well, sir." The boosters of destroyer class GP patrol  
cruiser AR-6837 fired off, moving closer to Ryo-oh-ki, keeping  
a watchful eye out for any disturbance in the space that might  
indicate the rogue craft.  
  
=================================  
  
Sitting back, Washu took time out to watch Anako chasing  
Koneko around the Ryo-oh-ki again. Although the black kitten  
was male and seemed to be a wee larger, why it always got  
picked on by Anako, Washu wasn't really sure.  
  
Heh, Tenchi…  
  
She grinned.  
  
Not that Tenchi was taller than Ryoko.  
  
Meanwhile, Sasami watched the battle in space, not excluding  
the Ryo-oh-ki, with worry. True, there didn't seem to be  
anything that could get by between both Ryo-oh-ki's innate  
manoeuvrability and Washu's intellectual capability, but the GP  
ships weren't getting any lesser, and it made Sasami's heart  
jump when she saw an enemy ship nearly get hit, because  
deep inside of her, she knew that they weren't really the  
enemy. There was also no way to tell how Kova, Kiyone or  
Seion was doing, and most importantly, how Tenchi was  
doing. "Washu?"  
  
"Yes, Sasami?" The professor looked kindly upon the girl. That  
the situation regarding the Ryo-oh-ki was pulling through fine  
so far, in a sort of comfortable equillibrium, especially after two  
GP craft withdrew from engaging them, was after all, merely an  
ongoing compliment to her ability, and Washu's mood was all  
the sunnier for that.   
  
"Something is wrong…"  
  
"Really? And what might that be?"  
  
"I… don't really know." Sasami appeared worried. "Just feel…  
please make sure… please."  
  
Washu arched an eyebrow at Sasami, and the way her kawaii  
face was darkened in a look of genuine fear was such that  
even Washu could not ignore it. "Well, I'll check." Turning to  
the terminal, Washu's eyes widened as she realised the  
Synerean shuttle Tenchi and company had boarded was  
moving off at a moderately high speed away from the  
Ryo-oh-ki towards the thick of the GP ships…  
  
=================================  
  
There… Tenchi nodded, and prepared to pull the device out. In  
the background could be heard the squealing of a crew  
member as Ryoko playfully tugged on his ear.  
  
"How is it, Tenchi?" Aeka asked, as she stepped back through  
the door. Outside the corridor was another patrol group of four  
Synerean guards, who had just turned round the corner to the  
bridge before Aeka was upon them. It was a good thing for  
them she had reduced her power, or the energy unleashed  
upon them would have ended their lives rather than leave  
them, as it were, out cold on the ground for at least an hour.  
  
"Going fine so far…" Tenchi pulled. "Huh!?"  
  
"What's wrong?" Aeka moved over, delicately.  
  
"Let me try again!" Tenchi pressed his lips together, gripped  
tight, and… "Unnngghhh!"  
  
The princess blinked as he tried to catch his breath. "Tenchi?"  
  
"It's stuck!" the boy cried.  
  
"Hey if there's a problem, you can leave it to me," Ryoko  
smiled turned around, nonchalantly throwing the hapless crew  
member into the corner, then the golden pupils  
widened…"Huh!?"   
  
Tenchi and Aeka, noticing the odd catch in Ryoko's voice,  
looked up, only to see.  
  
"Uh oh…" the boy gulped as he saw the ship was hurtling  
through space, right towards a somewhat modified GP ship.  
The ship, seemingly oblivious to the presence of the craft, was  
headed directly for the shuttle too.  
  
"I think we're going to hit it." A sweatdrop formed on Aeka's  
brow as the vessel drew close with rather terminal velocity. Her  
gaze sweeping over to the bridge, she saw with alarm that all  
the controls had sunk into the metal surface of the bridge  
system, and now there was no way to control the craft at all…  
  
"Come on out damn you!" Tenchi tugged on the decoder  
desperately, and Ryoko, fear pumping through her veins,  
phased directly beside him to pulled on the decoder  
desperately.  
  
"What in the F***ing hell is wrong with this thing!?" The space  
pirate cursed as the device remained stubbornly immobile.  
  
"Aeka, get back!" Tenchi shouted, still struggling with the  
device.  
  
"Let me help!" Rather than obeying him, the violet haired  
princess came running up.  
  
"No, Aeka, get awa…oof!" The next moment he was flying  
through the air, and struck Aeka, before they both fell back out  
of the doorway. "RYOKO!?" He looked up in disbelief as the  
hand that had swatted him away like a fly gripped the other  
handle of the decoder.  
  
"You two, out, *NOW*!" The space pirate swore as, despite  
using all of her extremely prodigious strength, the thing held.  
"Run for it! I can teleport out!"  
  
"Ryoko, I won't…!"  
  
"Aeka, do your job!" The space pirate snarled urgently.  
  
Tenchi was about to run back in, when Aeka grabbed him.  
"Come on!" Before he could protest, she shoved him away  
from the bridge door to the side, then he was pushed around  
the corner.  
  
"Aeka!!" He shouted at her.  
  
"Ryoko knows what she is doing!" At least I pray she does,  
Aeka thought to herself. "We've got to get away from here!"   
  
Tenchi watched as she ran past him, at least as best as she  
could with her injury.  
  
"Come on, Tenchi! You know Ryoko wouldn't give you up for  
the universe, you think she would just let herself die like that!"  
Aeka stopped, staring bewildered at him. "But if you died she  
wouldn't live on… and nor would I."  
  
The boy hesitated, his eyes still moving warily back.  
  
Biting her lip, the princess stopped completely. "Fine, if you  
wish to die, I'm here with you."  
  
The violet gaze cut deep into Tenchi, and he mentally flinched  
at their cold resoluteness…  
  
I could die for either one of them… but could I take either one  
of them with me?  
  
"All right, I'm moving!" he heard himself say, then he *was*  
moving again, to the immense relief of Aeka.  
  
A few turns, they were back at the door, and the princess  
quickly pulled it open…  
  
Both pairs of eyes, brown and amethyst, widened.  
  
There was nothing but a thin film of empty blackness, through  
which they could see the rest of the Synerean's ship interior.  
  
=================================  
  
I can't get past it!  
  
Washu swore out loud, her preoccupation blotting out the  
frightened look Sasami was giving her as she saw the  
redoubtable scientist ruffled. The little princess was sitting in a  
corner, her eyes flitting anxiously from the red-head, to the  
insane frenzy of ships outside, and the door. The door that  
stood at the back of the ship, its interior a thin film of lifeless  
black before the back of the Ryo-oh-ki.  
  
The cloaked Synerean shuttle fired into the path of the  
Ryo-oh-ki, preventing the ship from drawing near, and causing  
several GP ships to alter their flight path or be hit, while others  
winged over, anxious to see if it were the rogue craft. Clearly it  
was firing not to score a direct hit, but merely to prevent the  
passage of the Ryo-oh-ki towards the other cloaked shuttle,  
and its efforts, combined with those of the typically ignorant  
GP crafts hounding the cabbit ship, were paying off well.  
  
Her pink eyes dilated in fury and frustration as she saw on her  
sensors the other shuttle winging for the GP flagship moving  
in towards the decoy shuttle that was also preventing her from  
closing the eight hundred metres…  
  
DAMNIT! We can't wait!  
  
"Sorry Ryo-oh-ki…" she ground her teeth.  
  
"Miya!?" Ryo-oh-ki shrilled as she moved into the path of the  
shuttle's beams… "MIYYAAA!" Her shielding quivered before  
the barrage, and two beams got through, causing the ship to  
quake. One beam struck a crystal tip of her form, and the next  
moment the torque, combined with the momentum of the  
speeding craft, sent the cabbit ship spinning haphazardly  
towards the shuttle.  
  
=================================  
  
The bridge of Synerean shuttle 6382PX was by now empty, the  
crew of the shuttle having fled as they looked upon the face of  
impending annihilation. Or rather, almost empty.   
  
Amber eyes burned with frustration, rage and desperation, and  
beads of sweat glistened off her hands and face, the only parts  
of her body not covered by her crimson and sable battle suit.  
  
This doesn't make sense!! Who the F*** designed this…!?  
  
Just managing to stop herself from smashing the whole  
contraption into scrap metal, Ryoko beheld the blissfully  
unaware GP cruiser looming large on the screen, and her  
pulse accelerated, for she could barely see the darkness of  
space anymore, most of it taken up by the body of the  
cruiser…  
  
Three seconds at best…  
  
Orange light shone as the blade formed in her hand.  
  
So I'll just have to get this whole damned thing back to  
Washu…  
  
=================================  
  
Almost there now, Dosonoi grinned as he watched AR-6837  
speeding towards its doom.  
  
A direct collision would be most acceptable if I wished to  
ensure your demise. But unfortunately, your destruction is not  
the only one I have to be assured of.  
  
He grinned devilishly as he imagined the enemy preparing to  
pull back in the last possible second before collision, as his  
hand hovered over a rather nondescript black button.  
  
And since they're the enemy, why not take away that precious  
last second?  
  
=================================  
  
"It's not working!" Tenchi exclaimed with dismay as he  
stepped through the door, only to emerge on the other side of  
the corridor as if it were nothing but a mere frame.  
  
The princess bit her lip as her gaze met his, which was  
mirroring the fear in the depths of her amethyst eyes through  
the thin film of blackness in the doorframe. "I don't…" Her eyes  
widened as she lost sight of him through the door, the thin  
shadowy black between them darkening to an opaque void  
that shimmered with silver ripples…  
  
=================================  
  
His finger alighted on the button, which sunk down in  
response to the pressure…  
  
=================================  
  
Hushira's eyes widened as he just managed to glimpse, for the  
barest fraction of an instant, the form of the Synerean shuttle  
filling his screen.  
  
HOLY S…  
  
His hands instinctively made to swerved his craft away, but by  
then it was too late. Blinding golden and scarlet light streaked  
threw his vision, before finally settling down into darkness.  
  
===End of Chapter===  
  
PLEASE send COMMENTS & CRITICISMS! (C&C)  
  
Firstly I would like to apologise for making my readers wait so long  
before releasing this chapter, but I myself am currently on enlisted  
in a job, and also on the prowl for... hmm. Let's leave it at that.   
Suffice to say I am growing up, and I'm trying to squeeze time for  
writing whenever I can, yup. So, this is chapter 17. Enjoy it, and juz  
KIV I will try to get my Tenchi Muyo: Fantasy Chapter 1 - Onslaught, out,  
before going back to chap 18. Thanx ^_^.  
  
With no visible date set for the completion of the fic, I am currently   
setting up some kind of mailing list for D&L. Basically just to   
tell u when a new chapter comes out.  
Please mail your Name & Email to zyraen@yahoo.com, no other data is reqd.  
If u like u can provide your age, sex, and readiness to C&C.  
  
NOTES:  
Kova is in a way, an SIed character. Pls include him in your  
comments, whether I have portrayed him as a person, as a friend  
or foe, as one of the gang, and most importantly, as a human being.  
I have some pictures of him, not too good pencil drawings, if you  
wish to take a look pls mail me.  
  
I hope you have enjoyed this Fanfic as much as I have typing it.  
If there are any more grammar errors, I beg your forgiveness, as  
my sole proofreader is myself, and Serajadeyn ^_^.  
  
This is my first FF, so go ahead and mail me at zyraen@yahoo.com  
with comments, especially on character portrayal, realism.  
  
PLEASE send COMMENTS & CRITICISMS! (C&C) 


End file.
